VMware offers free Player option

By Stephen Shankland
Staff Writer, CNET News

4 comments

Related Stories: Greene trumpets a virtual future
October 20, 2005; VMware upgrades data center software, ambitions
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September 13, 2005; VMware moves to deflect Xen, Microsoft
August 8, 2005

VMware announced a free product Monday called VMware Player that makes it easier for people to try out the company's virtualization technology.

VMware specializes in software that lets multiple "virtual machines" run on the same computer, juggling multiple operating systems to improve efficiency, ease software development or make data centers more flexible. VMware Player is an application for Windows or Linux that runs those virtual machines.

Although people can't create virtual machines with VMware Player, they can use it to test virtual machines that have already have been created using the company's earlier products, Workstation, GSX Server or the top-end ESX Server.

One scenario in which the software could be useful is in evaluating software, already installed in pre-built virtual machines and tested in a harmless environment. VMware offers sample software at its VMware Technology Network.

The move reflects both the EMC subsidiary's gradual shift to higher-level software and its response to the arrival of competitors such as Microsoft's Virtual PC and Virtual Server products ,and Xen, an open-source project sponsored in part by a start-up called XenSource. Linux sellers Red Hat and Novell are building Xen into their operating system products.

VMware President Diane Greene demonstrated the Player software last week at the company's VMworld conference.

See more CNET content tagged:
VMware, virtual machine, EMC Corp., Xen, virtualization

Add a Comment (Log in or register) (4 Comments)

vmware and blades are the new 'little black dress'...
by Yukimi Konomi October 25, 2005 7:03 AM PDT: customers love it, salespeople cant talk enough about it, news agencies think it must be a part of apple...; Like this Reply to this comment

vmware and blades are the new 'little black dress'...
by Yukimi Konomi October 25, 2005 7:03 AM PDT: customers love it, salespeople cant talk enough about it, news agencies think it must be a part of apple...; Like this Reply to this comment

Good idea from VMWare
by exjoburger October 28, 2005 12:39 PM PDT: This is a good idea from VMWare. One request from them though - a few (Open Source obviously) Virtual Machines for people to play with.; Like this Reply to this comment

Good idea from VMWare
by exjoburger October 28, 2005 12:39 PM PDT: This is a good idea from VMWare. One request from them though - a few (Open Source obviously) Virtual Machines for people to play with.; Like this Reply to this comment

(4 Comments)

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