OS X SERVER on vmware

[Neonewbie]

Hi guys just wanted to know

can MAC OSX SERVER run on ESXI. or any VMware product, thinking bare metal here.

My objective is to then run two server types on the same server.

Windows 2003 64bit

Mac OSX server 64bit.

any VM guys tried it, got it running or even any leads, development?

[DSTAVERT]

It may be possible but you would need to install on MAC server hardware. It may violate Apple license agreements as well. If it does violate Apple license agreements you can't discuss it here.

[Neonewbie]

Thanks for reply

Yes i was thinking of running it on a Mac.

So hardware would be Mac Pro or mac xserve.

cant see how it would effect licence as The mac server licence would deal with unlimited Apple clients.

and windows server would deal with its own licence. cals.

my point was though has any body actually tried running ESXI on a Mac Pro or Exserve.

[DSTAVERT]

You can't assume anything to do with licensing. If you can point to an Apple reference on licensing OSX in a virtual environment this post can stand otherwise you can't discuss it here.

[DSTAVERT · Accepted solution]

http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macosxserver105.pdf

2. Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.

A. Mac OS X Server Software. This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Mac OS X Server software (the “Mac OS X Server Software”) on a single Apple-labeled computer. You may also install and use other copies of Mac OS X Server Software on the same Apple-labeled computer, provided that you acquire an individual and valid license from Apple for each of these other copies of Mac OS X Server Software. You agree not to install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so. This License does not allow the Mac OS X Server Software to exist on more than one computer at a time, and you may not make the Apple Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple computers at the same time. Please note that the Apple Software is supported only on Apple-labeled systems that meet the specified system requirements as indicated on the outside of the Mac OS X Server packaging. If you transfer software from one Apple-labeled computer to another Apple-labeled computer, please remember that continued use of the original copy of the software may be prohibited once a copy has been transferred to another computer, unless you already have a licensed copy of such software on both computers. You should check the relevant software license agreements for applicable terms and conditions.

This and other references suggest that it is possible.

[DSTAVERT]

Another restriction is that the OS be unmodified.

[Neonewbie]

Thanks for looking that up DSTAVERT.

My point exactly.

so not talking about lic...... but

so great i get one apple made computer and can run OX10 server on it. thats what i want.

it mentions nothing about me running windows server on the same machine. so all good.

but can ESXI run on an apple made Computer????

thats what we want to know.

Any body tried it.

[DSTAVERT]

It is entirely possible but a quick check of the Apple forums suggests probably not. You need 64 bit hardware and In order to run 64bit guests you would also need hardware virtualization support. Apple hardware is not on the HCL so it wouldn't be supported. It is possible to run VMware Fusion on OS X server and additional copies of Server and Windows server in that.

Virtualization should be about solving problems not creating them.

[TomHowarth]

The easy answer is yes you can virtualise OSX-Server under ESXi, however as already stated it is not the whole story, any virtualised instance of OSX-Server must be run on Apple Hardware otherwise you are in breach of the Apple EULA.

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author on "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-Virtual-Infrastructure-Security/dp/0137158009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256146240&sr=1-1]”.

Contributing author on "[VCP VMware Certified Professional on VSphere 4 Study Guide: Exam VCP-410|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-Certified-Professional-VSphere-Study/dp/0470569611]”.

[Neonewbie]

Thanks Tom ad DS

as i say my point is that i will run it on 64bit MAC hardware.

and you think ESXI will run on it.

after all OSX is linux right.

I may give it a go as a project.

My objective is to run stable Server OS Versions on stable hardware.

Any other point and suggestions do let me know.

many many thanks

Oh and question. I know that EXSI runs on Xeon processors, Guess it will take duel core 64bit intel core 2

[TomHowarth]

I have heard of success in installing ESXi on Apple hardware, but personally I have not tried it, I know one of the issues with virtualising OSX is the EFI based bios. I am not sure if that is also a limitation in OSX-Server.

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author on "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-VSphere-Virtual-Infrastructure-Security/dp/0137158009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256146240&sr=1-1]”.

Contributing author on "[VCP VMware Certified Professional on VSphere 4 Study Guide: Exam VCP-410|http://www.amazon.co.uk/VMware-Certified-Professional-VSphere-Study/dp/0470569611]”.

[Jackobli]

after all OSX is linux right.

Doooh, that must hurt

No, Mac OS X is not linux! Mac OS X base is called Darwin and this is Unix based.

Although ESXi may run on a decent Mac, I am unsure if the virtualized Mac OS X server will run (unmodified) inside a guest os. Mac OS X has to see the EFI BIOS. You may try and report.

[Piggy]

An internet search will turn up instructions on how to run OS X in Fusion and Workstation. I do not know if it will work in ESX/i.

If you wish to do the reverse and run ESX/i on Mac OS you would need to use Fusion or a competing product to create a VM that ESX/i could then be installed to. I expect performance of running a VM inside ESX/i on Fusion would be terrible due to the multiple software virtualization layers, however it would probably be fun to try.