Accessing the appliance and use of multiple VMs.

[pjkerpan]

I have read most forum questions and responses. Still confused about a couple things.

1) Can an "appliance" be comprised of multiple VMs which interoperate? Can there only be more than one VM via using the "team" function of Workstation?

2) If I am providing a server appliance (lets assume via a single VM) - how do I illustrate its capabilities? Can the appliance be tested by hitting it via a web browser in the Host OS? If I have made a server appliance it seems that UI which illustrates its capacities can't run in the appliance itself. If I let an appliance user log into the appliance and run GUI applications on it - then it doesn't seem very much like an a server appliance anymore. Obviously different case if I am fielding a desktop appliance.

Cheers - pk

[mblonsky]

Hi Patrick,

Here are some answers to your questions.

1. You can build an appliance with more than one VM. However, for compatibility, you should make sure that your VMs inter-operate over standard networking protocols. For example, you could build a communication virtual appliance which consisted of one VM that contains a SPAM blocker which filters mail and passes "clean" mail to another VM which acts as the actual mail server. All communication between the VMs would be via TCP/IP.

2. We assume that many of the UVAC entries will be "server" type appliances. As such, your documentation should clearly illustrate how to test the appliance. To extend the example above, you might provide a Web Interface to the SPAM VM that allows for its configuration. That Web App would be accessed by the Host or any other browser on the same network. You should provide screen shots and any documentation you think is necessary to illustrate how to setup and configure your appliance. It is also good to explain how "clients" of the servers may be setup. With the mail server VM, you might include a WebMail client AND provide instructions for connecting to the mail server via Thunderbird, Outlook Express, Outlook, Eudora, etc.

The key to all of these entries will be their documentation. Unless the evaluators understand very clearly how to use the appliance (whether it is one VM or more), it will be difficult for them to measure the value of the entry.

Hope this answer helps! Good luck!!!

Michael