| VMware Fusion | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 VMware Fusion running Windows Vista on Mac OS X |
|
| Developer | VMware, Inc. |
| Latest release | 1.1 (build 62573) / 2007-11-12 |
| OS | Mac OS X |
| Platform | Apple-Intel architecture |
| Genre | Virtual machine |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | VMware Fusion |
VMware Fusion is a virtual machine software product by VMware, Inc. for Macintosh computers with Intel processors. Fusion allows Intel-based Macs to run x86 "guest" operating systems, and x86-64 "guest" operating systems on Intel-based Macs with Core 2 processors[1], such as 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.
Contents |
Overview
Fusion is VMware's first entry into the emerging Macintosh virtualization market, which has been made possible by the Apple Intel transition. Fusion utilizes Intel Vanderpool 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 advanced features such as 64-bit and SMP support from the very first beta onward. Fusion 1.0 was released on August 6, 2007, exactly one year after being announced.[2] The software is available directly from VMware as a 30-day trial[3], with a full license cost of $79.99 USD.
System requirements
- An Intel-based Mac (64-bit guest operating systems require a EM64T-capable processor)
- 512MB of RAM (1 GB or more recommended)
- 275MB free disk space for VMware Fusion
- 1GB free disk space for each virtual machine (10 GB or more recommended)
- Mac OS X version 10.4.9 or later
Key features
Unity view creates a seamless desktop environment between Windows and Mac OS X applications. It effectively 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 fully compatible with Exposé.[1] In terms of hardware, there is support for wired and wireless networks, in NAT or bridged mode. Fusion allows hardware accelerated 3D graphics, supporting DirectX 8.1 through dynamic recompilation to OpenGL instructions in Windows XP Service Pack 2 virtual machines.[4] Thus users can play supported games through Fusion or run applications which require 3D graphics. Fusion allows the user to assign multiple CPUs to one virtual machine to gain additional performance for CPU-intensive workloads. 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. VMware Fusion is unique in that it allows access to the full 16GB of RAM available on Mac Pros and Xserves.[1] Software features of Fusion include its ability to run 32-bit and 64-bit x86 "guest" operating systems [5], including support for Apple's current operating system, Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard".[4] VMware claims that Fusion supports over 60 guest OSes. [1] Further, there is support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 Boot Camp partitions, thus a user can utilise their Windows Boot Camp partition, eliminating the need for two separate Windows installations on their Mac. There is experimental Windows Vista boot camp support, though users will need to reactivate Windows Vista.[6] VMware included a snapshot capability for saving and restoring machine states in case of issue. Virtual machines created with VMware Fusion can be freely used with any other VMware products, and vice-versa and compatibility with other VMware virtual appliances.[1]
Development history
- Beta 1 was released on December 21, 2006.
-
Beta 2 was released on March 1, 2007, and brought the following new features and enhancements:[7]
Fusion features hardware accelerated 3D graphics, and runs many Windows games, including Grand Theft Auto III, shown here.- Experimental 3D graphics support
- Snapshot feature
- Improved networking
- Full support for Airport wireless networking
- Improved Microsoft Vista support
- Complete VMware Tools support for Microsoft Vista
- View the physical computer's battery status in the virtual machine
- Improved full screen mode
- Experimental support for Mac OS X 10.5
- Beta 3 was released on April 5, 2007, and brought the following new features and enhancements:[8]
- Support for Windows XP Boot Camp partitions
- Ability to disable debugging code, resulting in greatly improved performance
- Windows Easy Install
- Virtual machine packages
- Enhanced virtual machine creation
- Enhanced virtual machine library
- Host-Only Networking
- Improved suspend/shutdown state
- Improved hardware editor
- Improved international support
-
Beta 4 was released on June 7, 2007, and brought the following new features and enhancements:[9]
Fusion in Unity view, running Windows Media Player 11 within the OS X desktop.- Unity view — Run Windows XP applications alongside your favorite Mac applications
- Experimental support for Windows Vista Boot Camp partitions
- Improved performance
- Improved user experience
- Beta 4.1 was released on June 21, 2007, and brought the following new features and enhancements:[10]
- Support for USB on Santa Rosa-based MacBook Pros and all Intel Macs with 10.4.10 and later
- Improved experimental support for running VMware Fusion on Mac OS X Leopard hosts
- Release Candidate 1 was released on July 3, 2007, and brought the following new features and enhancements:[11]
- Drag-and-drop functionality in Unity mode
- Mouse shortcuts inside a virtual machine (control-click for right click, command-click for middle click)
- Keyboard shortcuts inside a virtual machine (command-tab, Exposé, Quicksilver, etc.)
- Experimental Unity support for Windows 2000, Server 2003, and Vista (32 and 64-bit)
- Improved Boot Camp disk performance
- Improved resume performance
- VMware Fusion 1.0 was released on 2007-08-06.
- Fusion 1.1 Beta 1 was released on 2007-09-25 and brought the following new features and enhancements:[12]
- Experimental support for DirectX 9 in virtual machines
- Improved support for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems
- iPhone synchronization improvements
- Fusion 1.1 Release Candidate was released on 2007-10-25 and brought the following new features and enhancements:[13]
- French, German, and Japanese localization
- Improved window dragging and resizing performance in Unity view
- Automatic remount of Boot Camp partition after Boot Camp virtual machine is shut down
- Improved support for Mac OS X Leopard hosts
- Improved 2D drawing performance, especially on Santa Rosa MacBook Pros
- VMware Fusion 1.1 was released on 2007-11-12.[14]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e VMware Fusion Features. VMware (2007-11-11).
- ^ WWDC: VMware brings virtual machines to Mac OS X. Macworld (2006-08-06).
- ^ VMWare Fusion Trial.
- ^ a b VMware Fusion FAQs. VMware (2007-08-06).
- ^ VMware Fusion System Requirements. VMware (2007-08-06).
- ^ VMware Fusion 1.0 Release Notes. VMware (2007-08-06).
- ^ Fusion Beta 2 Release Notes. VMware (2007-03-01).
- ^ Fusion Beta 3 Release Notes. VMware (2007-04-05).
- ^ Fusion Beta 4 Release Notes. VMware (2007-06-03).
- ^ Fusion Beta 4.1 Release Notes. VMware (2007-06-21).
- ^ Fusion Release Candidate 1 Release Notes. VMware (2007-07-03).
- ^ VMware Fusion Release Notes. VMware. Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
- ^ VMware Fusion Release Notes. VMware. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ VMware, Inc. (2007-11-12). "VMware Releases Update to Award-Winning VMware Fusion Software for the Mac". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
