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VMware Fusion

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VMware Fusion
Developer(s)VMware, Inc.
Stable release
3.0.1 (build 215242)[1] / December 10, 2009 (2009-12-10)
Operating systemMac OS X
PlatformApple-Intel architecture
Available inMulti-lingual
TypeVirtual machine
LicenseProprietary
WebsiteVMware 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 paravirtualization, emulation and dynamic recompilation.

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 VT present in the Intel Core microarchitecture platform. Much of the underlying technology in Fusion is inherited 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.

Fusion 1.0 was released on August 6, 2007, exactly one year after being announced.[2]

System requirements

  • An Intel-based Mac (64-bit guest operating systems require a Intel 64-capable processor)
  • 1 GB of RAM (2 GB or more recommended)
  • ATI Radeon x1600, Nvidia GeForce 8600M or better graphics hardware required for Windows Aero support
  • 700 MB free disk space for VMware Fusion
  • 5 GB free disk space for each virtual machine (10 GB or more recommended)
  • Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later

Features

File:VMware fusion 7 no trans.png
VMware Fusion running in Unity view on Mac OS X 10.6

Unity view creates a seamless desktop environment between Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X applications. It optionally hides Windows' start menu and taskbar and runs the Windows applications directly from the dock in OS X. Further, users can drag and drop files between Windows and the Mac, and use familiar Mac keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste between Windows and Mac applications. It is (almost) fully compatible with Exposé.[3] Fusion windows that are covered by other Fusion windows don't redraw when switching to Exposé, causing visual anomalies. This feature is later made available in VMware Workstation 6.5 Beta, which is designed to be run on Windows/Linux platforms.

Direct X 9.0 is supported through dynamic recompilation to OpenGL instructions in Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 virtual machines. Hence, users can play supported games through Fusion or run applications which require 3D graphics.[4] VMware Fusion 3 has DirectX 9 Shader Model 3 and OpenGL support.[5]

32-bit and 64-bit guest operating systems are supported by VMWare Fusion. [6] Over 60 operating systems are supported, including Windows Vista, Windows XP, Linux, and Solaris. Additionally, VMWare Fusion 2.0 adds support for Mac OS X Server version 10.5 (Leopard) as a guest on a Mac OS X host. Additionally, Fusion 2.0.1 added experimental support for un-released developer builds of Mac OS X Server 10.6 (Snow Leopard) - presumably for software developers with Apple-granted access to pre-release builds of Snow Leopard. 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. [3]

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 speed[citation needed]. Firewire support is still missing in the latest version, although a workaround exists by mounting the device as a shared folder [7].

Support for multiple CPUs (SMP) or multicore CPUs is built into VMWare Fusion. Fusion also allows the user to assign up to four CPUs to one virtual machine to gain additional performance for CPU-intensive workloads [8].

Portability. Virtual machines created with VMware Fusion can be used with other VMware products and vice versa, and are compatible with other VMware virtual appliances.[4]

File:VMware fusion graphics nfs carbon.png
Need for Speed: Carbon running in a Windows 7 virtual machine in VMware Fusion

VMware Fusion 2.0 was released as a free upgrade on September 12, 2008.[9] 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 Microsoft Virtual PC virtual machines to VMware
  • Support for DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 2[10]
  • 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

VMware Fusion 3.0 was released as a paid upgrade on October 27, 2009. Some new features in this release include:

  • Optimization for Mac OS X 10.6 clients, including full 64 bit process support
  • Full support for Mac OS X 10.6 Server clients
  • Improved PC Migration Assistant
  • Improved support for Windows 7 virtual machines, including full Windows Aero support with Flip 3D and Aero Peek
  • Support for DirectX 9.0c with Shader Model 3 and OpenGL 2.1 graphics libraries
  • Improved VM disk and graphics performance under Mac OS X 10.6 clients
  • New "Always-on" Applications Menu provides enhanced start menu functionality in the Mac OS X Finder
  • Improvements to Virtual Machine Library window
  • Automatic software update functionality
  • Improvements to Copy and Paste, Drag and Drop functions on Windows and Linux virtual machines

Version history

Version Released Notes
1.0 August 6, 2007 First release (following 4 betas)
1.1 November 12, 2007 Support for Leopard, Boot Camp, and improvements to DirectX support and Unity
1.1.1 January 24, 2008 Various bug fixes
1.1.2 April 23, 2008 Support for Time Machine and various bug fixes
1.1.3 May 30, 2008 Various bug fixes
2.0 September 12, 2008 Multiple Snapshots with AutoProtect, Improved Unity, DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 2 3D, and support for Mac OS X Server guests
2.0.1 November 14, 2008 Various bug fixes
2.0.2 February 11, 2009 Import from Parallels, supports Mac OS X Server 10.5.6 host, mounts dmg, supports Ubuntu 8.10 in Unity mode[11]
2.0.3 April 2, 2009 Various bug fixes. Adds experimental support for Snow Leopard Developer Builds[12]
2.0.4 April 9, 2009 Fixed Host code execution vulnerability[13]
2.0.5 June 23, 2009 Support for Nehalem Mac Pro. Experimental support for OS X 10.6 as guest. Support for Ubuntu 9.04 as guest. Various Bug Fixes[14]
2.0.6 October 01, 2009 Fixed issues when running on Snow Leopard. Fixed issues with NVidia graphics cards on OS X 10.6. Various Bug Fixes[15]
3.0 October 27, 2009 Added support for Windows 7 with Aero. Full 64-bit compatibility with OS X 10.6 host and guest. DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3 3D. WDDM-compatible display driver.
3.0.1 December 10, 2009 Improved 3D & Video Performance, full support for Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala), 64-bit networking subsystem, improved VMware Importer, improved VM resume times[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.vmware.com/support/fusion3/doc/releasenotes_fusion_301.html
  2. ^ "WWDC: VMware brings virtual machines to Mac OS X". Macworld. 2006-08-06.
  3. ^ a b "VMware Fusion Features". VMware. 2007-08-06.
  4. ^ a b "VMware Fusion FAQs". VMware. 2007-08-06.
  5. ^ http://www.macnn.com/articles/09/06/21/fusion.beta.version/
  6. ^ "VMware Fusion System Requirements". VMware. 2007-08-06.
  7. ^ "How to Access a FireWire Hard Drive Using VMWare Fusion". VMware. 2008-08-12.
  8. ^ "VMware Fusion FAQs". VMware. 2008-09-08.
  9. ^ "VMware Fusion 2 (Free Upgrade for All VMware Fusion 1.x Users)".
  10. ^ "Key Features of VMware Fusion 2.0 Beta 1".
  11. ^ "VMware Fusion 2.02". VMware. 2009-02-11.
  12. ^ "VMware Fusion 2.03". VMware. 2009-04-02.
  13. ^ "VMware Fusion 2.04". VMware. 2009-04-09.
  14. ^ "VMware Fusion 2.05". VMware. 2009-06-23.
  15. ^ "VMware Fusion 2.06". VMware. 2009-10-01.
  16. ^ "VMware Fusion 3.01". VMware. 2009-12-10.
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