Review VMware Workstation 7
VMware Workstation 7, the latest version of VMware's
desktop virtualization tool, carries on the tradition of
providing premium technology for developers and power users.
Released in October with a list price of $189, VMware
Workstation 7 fully supports Windows 7 and Windows XP Mode
virtual machines. And, for the first time, VMware
Workstation supports running VMware enterprise
virtualization platforms as virtual machines.
In what was a veritable virtualization riot, I was able to
run an entire VMware vSphere 4 infrastructure, Windows
Virtual PC with an instance of Windows XP Mode and an
instance of Windows XP Mode inside VMware Workstation 7—all
at the same time on the same system, a Lenovo T400s.
VMware Workstation 7 also still runs on older hardware that
lacks CPU virtualization extensions, robust Windows graphics
virtualization and extensive support for VMware's own
top-of-the-line server virtualization products.
Windows 7 Support
Chief among the new features in this version of VMware
Workstation is support for Windows 7 and, in particular, the
Windows 7 Aero interface.
I installed both the 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7
Enterprise edition as virtual machines running under VMware
Workstation 7. My main test computer was the Lenovo T400s,
equipped with an Intel P9600 Core2 Duo CPU with 4GB of RAM.
The system was running Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit as the
base OS. The physical host was equipped with an integrated
USB-based fingerprint scanner, a four-point touch-enabled
trackpad and the usual assortment of USB and eSATA ports
found on Lenovo's current line of business-class systems.
The system was also equipped with an SSD hard drive.
I enabled the Intel Virtualization Technology hardware
capabilities and the Intel VT-d feature for directed I/O on
my main test system. On a second Lenovo T400s test system, I
disabled the Intel Virtualization Technology and turned off
the Intel VT-d feature.
On both of my test machines, VMware Workstation 7 was able
to virtualize all of the Windows and Linux guests that I
normally install during a virtualization test. While the
Lenovo system with virtualization extensions enabled showed
slightly better performance, the ability to run VMware
Workstation 7 on older desktops and laptops without such
extensions enhances its attractiveness.
VMware Workstation 7 supports the Windows 7 and Windows
Vista Aero interfaces. This version of VMware Workstation
adds support for OpenGL 1.4 and Shader Model 3.0, for
improved CAD, game and 3D interface experiences. These
effects can be emulated on older hardware, but I recommend
that IT managers check the recommended hardware list to
ensure that users who need high-end graphics support will
get what they need on the hardware that they have.
Windows XP Mode is a virtual machine instance of Windows XP
Professional with Service Pack 3. Windows XP Mode for
Windows 7 is used to install and run Windows XP productivity
applications in a Windows 7-based PC using Microsoft Virtual
PC desktop virtualization technology. VMware, working with
Microsoft, can directly import a Windows XP Mode file and
use it in VMware Workstation 7.
After downloading the Windows XP Mode files from Microsoft's
MSDN service, it was a simple process to import the file.
It's worth noting that the menu option to import a Windows
XP Mode system is just beneath the standard Import menu
choice, so it's easy to select the wrong one. Indeed, I made
the error the first time through the process, but
successfully imported the Windows XP Mode system once I
clicked on the special Import wizard.
There are restrictions on the use of Windows XP Mode that
require this special handling. Regardless of the platform
(Windows 7, VMware Workstation or another desktop
virtualization tool), only one instance of Windows XP Mode
can be running. Also, Windows XP Mode can be run only if the
underlying OS on which VMware Workstation 7 is installed is
Windows XP Professional or later.
In my tests, it was possible to run an instance of Windows
XP Mode under Microsoft Virtual PC on my Windows 7
Enterprise-based physical PC and a simultaneous instance of
Windows XP Mode under VMware Workstation 7.
Enterprise Support
This is the first version of VMware Workstation that enables
fully supported installations of VMware's premier server
virtualization platforms: VMware ESX 3.5 and vSphere 4. This
functionality is a real boon for development and training
professionals, significantly reducing the amount of physical
hardware needed to run a virtualization test lab.
I installed vSphere 4 hosts along with a vCenter Server on
my test laptop system. At this time, only 32-bit guests can
be installed on the nested ESX virtual host systems. There
is some performance degradation, since the
virtualization-within-virtualization resources are running
through the underlying physical host operating system.
I had a satisfactory "out of the box" experience with USB
device support and wireless connectivity. I connected a
variety of USB devices to my test systems, including an HP
LaserJet 1022 printer, a variety of flash drives, and camera
and audio equipment. While my Olympus voice recorder was
misidentified as an optical drive, the devices all worked
correctly on my Windows client virtual machines and on the
physical test system.
Check out VMware Workstation 7
Source: eWeek