VMplayer to connect to VMserver? (noobie)

[shabazz5th]

Hello all, this is my first post, so I hope I provide enough info for all.

I am very new to VMware, what I would like to do is setup a seperate PC that contains all our applications for new hires. They will use this machine for training purposes and what not.

So I have setup a virtual Server using VMware Server, installed an OS/etc.

My noob question is, how do I connect to it? I've done some reading, and VMplayer seems to be the answer.

Does everyone who wants to connect to the virtual server need VMPlayer installed on their PCs?

I'm running XP by the way.

Thanks!

[rsa911]

what do you mean by "how do I connect to it" ?

once the virtual machine is started on your vmware server, use the built in remote access features on the O/S to remote control the machine

so for an XP VM, you would use Remote Desktop

or you want each PC to run its own copy of your Virtual machine you've created with vmware server ?

[shabazz5th]

Ok thanks for clearing that up. Sorry, I just read that VMplayer was used to connect to the server.

Well that makes sense then, I'll just use the OS's built-in remote access to get access to the VM server.

so...

1) what does VMplayer do exactly?

2) Why use VMware to connect using the OS's built in remote access funcationality? Why not just setup the PC as a seperate server with VMware? What are the benefits?

Thanks again!

[asatoran · Accepted solution]

Let's start with the products VMWare Workstation and VMWare Server. Using either, you create a virtual machine. This virtual machine is just a bunch of files. Think of it like a Word document. By itself the document can't be used. You need another application to actually view the contents of the document. (e.g.: Word.) For virtual machines, this application is Workstation or Server. With Word, you can create and modify the contents of the document. With Workstation or Server, you create and modify the hardware settings to a virtual machine. The key word here is modify. Workstation is not a free product. Up until recently Server wasn't free (e.g. GSX Server.) And Server is designed for a completely different market segment than a Workstation user. But suppose you wanted to create a virtual machine for someone else. Unless that person buys Workstation, they wouldn't be able to run the virtual machine. That is where Player comes in. It is free and so anyone can download and install it. Player can run existing virtual machines, but can't be used to create or modify the virtual machine settings.

Now for your second question, why not just setup Server to run the virtual machine. Suppose that the user wants to run the virtual machine on their laptop away from the office. They're not connected to your LAN anymore so can't RDP to the OS running on Server. But instead the user takes a copy of the virtual machine (or any virtual machine for that matter) on their laptop and runs it with Player. Yes, now with Server being free, you could install that instead of Player. However, Server is targeted for running server OS' and such so the supported list of host OS' do not include desktop OS' such as Windows XP or Vista.you can run virtual machines of XP or Vista, but installing Server on top of those OS' is not supported.

HTH.

[shabazz5th]

alright, I think I've got it now...thanks to everyone for their help.

[shabazz5th]

One more question, rather then create a new thread...

You mentioned:

"But instead the user takes a copy of the virtual machine (or any virtual machine for that matter) on their laptop and runs it with Player."

How do you take a copy of the virtual machine?

thx.

[shabazz5th]

Ahmed Chaarani

Maple Leaf Consumer Foods

Programmer / Analyst

Integration Competency Centre

905-285-1355

chaaraah@mapleleaf.ca

[asatoran]

A virtual machine is literally just files like my analogy of the Word document. If you're using Server, on the Server Console screen you'll see the path to the files at the top. Otherwise search your drive for files with .VMX extension. The .VMX file is the configuration file for a particular virtual machine. To copy a virtual machine, with the virtual machine powered off, copy the entire contents of the directory where the .VMX is located. On the destination machine, try to create the same path as the original. (i.e.: C:\VirtualMachines\Win2kpro directory on both machines.) Not always necessary but this avoids a certain pathname bug that exists in the software.

(Side benefit, that's how easy it is to make a full backup of your entire virtual machine. )

[shabazz5th]

WOW!

So I can create a virtual machine, install all sorts of software on it, then just copy out those files you mentioned, and using VMplayer I can run all the apps from the virtual server?

I find that pretty amazing (I think I got it now...)

[asatoran]

Yes. I make backup copies of virtual machines for things like testing new software. I shut down the VM, make a copy of the directory, then start it up again and install the software. If the software hoses Windows, then I just delete the entire directory and "restore" by copying by the original directory. I have to buy more hard drive space, but this makes software testing that much less difficult rather than having to try to fix Windows or reloading Windows from scratch.