VMware Introduces New Powerful Desktop Virtualization Software
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VMware, Inc., the global leader in virtual infrastructure
software for industry-standard systems, has announced that VMware Workstation 5.5, the newest feature-packed
release of its award-winning desktop virtualization software, is available for beta download. With numerous
new features and significant platform enhancements, Workstation 5.5 provides unmatched flexibility for developers
and testers.
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Millions today use VMware Workstation, first introduced six years ago, to accelerate software
development, testing and deployment and increase product quality. With VMware Workstation,
enterprises are able to create a library of virtualmachines for 32-bit and 64-bit x86 operating
systems, including Linux, NetWare, Solaris x86 and Windows, that replicate production environments.
These virtual machines can then be
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rapidly provisioned, making it possible for developers and testers
to spend more time developing and testing software and less time configuring the required environment.
Among the major new and enhanced features in VMware Workstation 5.5 are:
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64-bit Guest Support for AMD64 Technology Systems and Intel EM64T Systems with VT Support: Building on the 64-bit host operating system support introduced in previous releases, VMware Workstation 5.5 delivers support for 64-bit FreeBSD, Linux and Windows guest operating systems and experimental support for 64-bit Solaris x86. This gives developers and testers the flexibility to run 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems simultaneously on the same hardware.
- Two-way Virtual SMP (experimental): VMware brings its server-class Virtual SMP to the desktop. Virtual SMP makes it possible for a single virtual machine to span two processors, enabling developers and testers to configure real-world production environments on developer-class desktops.
- Enhanced VMware Virtual Machine Importer: VMware Workstation 5.5 provides developers and testers with the additional flexibility to convert Symantec Ghost images into virtual machines or to open those images in their native format without any modification. Developers and testers can reuse their libraries of physical machine images when deploying or building a virtual infrastructure.
- Enhanced Command Line Interface: VMware Workstation 5.5 offers an enhanced vmrun interface to allow organizations to automate repetitive manual tasks. New vmrun features include the ability to take snapshots, list all snapshots for a virtual machine and revert to a selected snapshot.
Virtual machines created with VMware Workstation can be deployed to enterprise-class
VMware GSX Server and data center-class VMware ESX Server platforms. Once deployed on
GSX Server or ESX Server, VMware VirtualCenter can manage these virtual machines. This
lets development teams more easily manage the software lifecycle process and seamlessly
move computing environments from development to testing, and from staging to production.
"VMware
Workstation 5.5 reaffirms VMware's commitment to providing our customers with the industry's
broadest virtualization platform," said Karthik Rau, director of product management at VMware.
"With new features like support for 64-bit guest operating systems and multi-CPU virtual machines,
VMware Workstation 5.5 gives developers a powerful platform to accelerate the development, testing
and support of their next-generation applications."
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