VMware Fusion

Infobox_Software
name = VMware Fusion



caption = VMware Fusion running Windows Vista on Mac OS X
developer = VMware, Inc.
latest release version = 2.0 (build 116369)
latest release date = release date|2008|09|16
latest preview version =
latest preview date =
operating_system = Mac OS X
platform = Apple-Intel architecture
genre = Virtual machine
license = Proprietary
website = [http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/ VMware Fusion]

VMware Fusion is a virtual machine software product developed by VMware for Macintosh computers with Intel processors. Fusion allows Intel-based Macs to run x86 and x86-64 "guest" operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, NetWare and Solaris as virtual machines simultaneously with Mac OS X as the "host" operating system using a combination of virtualization, emulation and dynamic recompilation. While similar in most respects to VMware Workstation, Fusion contains some unique features such as support for running Mac OS X Server as a guest operating system, and mapping the Mac OS X user's desktop, documents, music and pictures folders to the equivalent Special Folders in Microsoft Windows.

Overview

Fusion is VMware's first entry into the emerging Macintosh x86 virtualization market, which has been made possible by the Apple Intel transition. Fusion utilizes Intel virtualization technology present in the Intel Core microarchitecture platform. Much of the underlying technology in Fusion is borrowed from other VMware products, such as VMware Workstation, allowing Fusion to offer features such as 64-bit and SMP support from the first beta version onward. Built on VMware's history of enterprise virtualization technology, Fusion's strength lies in its high-performance rather than its features and OS X/Windows integration. [ [http://www.maclife.com/article/vmware_fusion VMware Fusion- MacLife ] ]

Fusion 1.0 was released on August 6, 2007, exactly one year after being announced. [cite web|title=WWDC: VMware brings virtual machines to Mac OS X |url=http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/08/07/vmware/index.php |publisher=Macworld |date=2006-08-06]

ystem requirements

* An Intel-based Mac (64-bit guest operating systems require a EM64T-capable processor)
* 1 GB of RAM (2 GB or more recommended)
* 400 MB free disk space for VMware Fusion
* 5 GB free disk space for each virtual machine (10 GB or more recommended)
* Mac OS X version 10.4.11 or later

Features

platforms.

Direct X 9.0 is supported in VMWare Fusion through dynamic recompilation to OpenGL instructions in Windows XP Service Pack 2 virtual machines. Hence, users can play supported games through Fusion or run applications which require 3D graphics.cite web|url=http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/faqs.html |title=VMware Fusion FAQs |publisher=VMware |date=2007-08-06]

32-bit and 64-bit guest operating systems are supported by VMWare Fusion cite web|url=http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/system_requirements.html |title=VMware Fusion System Requirements |publisher=VMware |date=2007-08-06] . Over 60 operating systems are supported, including Windows Vista, Windows XP, Linux, and Solaris. There is also support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 Boot Camp partitions: a user can use his Windows Boot Camp partition, eliminating the need for two separate Windows installations. [6] In addition, VMWare Fusion offers support of up to 8 GB of memory on guest 64-bit operating systems, and up to 16GB of RAM on Mac Pros and Xserves. cite web|url=http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/features.html |title=VMware Fusion Features |publisher=VMware |date=2007-08-06]

Snapshots enable users to save a stable state of the guest operating system to disk, allowing users to quickly return to their virtual machine without the need of rebooting.

Shared Folders allow the mounting of folders from the host operating system to the guest operating system.

Extensive hardware support is built into VMWare Fusion. For networking, there is support for wired and wireless networks, in NAT or bridged mode. There is access to physical devices from the virtual machine (i.e. read and write CDs and DVDs) as well as access to USB 2.0 devices such as video cameras, iPods, printers, and disks at full speedFact|date=April 2008. Firewire support is still missing in the latest version, although a workaround exists by mounting the device as a shared folder [cite web |url=http://blogs.vmware.com/teamfusion/2008/08/how-to-access-a.html |title=How to Access a FireWire Hard Drive Using VMWare Fusion |publisher=VMware |date=2008-08-12] .

Support for multiple CPUs (SMP) or multicore CPUs is built into VMWare Fusion. Fusion also allows the user to assign up to two CPUs to one virtual machine to gain additional performance for CPU-intensive workloads [cite web |url=http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/faqs.html#c25468 |title=VMware Fusion FAQs |publisher=VMware |date=2008-09-08] .

Virtual machines created with VMware Fusion can be used with other VMware products and vice-versa and are compatible with other VMware virtual appliances.cite web|url=http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/faqs.html |title=VMware Fusion FAQs |publisher=VMware |date=2007-08-06]

VMWare Fusion 2.0 was released as a free upgrade on September 18, 2008. [cite web |title=VMware Fusion 2 (Free Upgrade for All VMware Fusion 1.x Users)|url=http://www.vmware.com/download/fusion/] New features in this release include:
* Multi-display support - enables the use of up to 10 additional displays by guest operating systems
* Virtual Machine conversion - allows the conversion of Parallels Desktop and Virtual PC virtual machines to VMware
* Support for DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 2 [cite web|title=Key Features of VMware Fusion 2.0 Beta 1|url=http://www.vmware.com/communities/content/beta/fusion/fusion2_beta1.html]
* Application sharing between Windows and Mac - users can set certain files to launch with specific Mac or Windows applications
* Folder Mirroring - allows select folders to be accessible on both the host and guest operating system

* Keyboard and Mouse shortcut mapping
* Snapshot improvements - multiple snapshot support, in addition to creating automatic snapshots at set intervals
* Improved CPU resource utilization
* Support for 4 processor virtual machines
* Mac OS X Leopard Server virtualization support
* Improved Linux support
* A complimentary 12-month subscription to McAfee VirusScan Plus for Windows virtual machines

Version history

ee also

* Comparison of VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop
* Comparison of virtual machines
* Desktop virtualization
* Virtualization
* List of VMware software

References

External links

* [http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/ Official webpage]