New to VMware - Suitable solution to replace multiple demo PC's?

[TimTyler]

Hi VM'ers,

At work I have a demo room setup to show off our product configured for different territories - each setup has a PC to display our graphics and another PC acts like a till. We curently have our product in 5 territories meaning we have 10 PC's running in the demo room, with a multitude of screens attached to each. As we expand my demo room is getting a little crowded, and hot, so....

+ My question is whether I could 'virtualise' all 10 PC's to run simultaneously on a single beefy quad-core server?

+ I am also wondering whether I could have a PiP type arrangement showing 5 graphical displays on one monitor or whether it would require 5 screens if I wanted to display all 5 at once? If they had to run on multiple screens, is there a s/w KVM type switch and could I use a h/w KVM for ease of use?

+ If the answer to the first question is yes, where should I start my research? What software applications would suit my needs?

Many thanks guys.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

+ My question is whether I could 'virtualise' all 10 PC's to run simultaneously on a single beefy quad-core server?

If the demos are not hardware related, then yes. You will need one Desktop and at least 1 server to do this. Or you can use VMware Workstation/VMware Player and forego the desktop.

+ I am also wondering whether I could have a PiP type arrangement showing 5 graphical displays on one monitor or whether it would require 5 screens if I wanted to display all 5 at once? If they had to run on multiple screens, is there a s/w KVM type switch and could I use a h/w KVM for ease of use?

I do not know of any PiP type software but if you use the remote console for VMware Server or ESX then you can put the remote console on any head for your remote display system. You can also use RDP. Or you can use something like N-Computings LS320 to achieve something similar without the demo desktop.

+ If the answer to the first question is yes, where should I start my research? What software applications would suit my needs?

I would look at ESXi or VMware Server. If you want to use Remote COnsole then the Desktop should run windows if you use RDP then it can run anything.

You can also use VMware Workstation and fore go a server and just have multiple displays and put the VM Console on each display......

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

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