Virtualization market king VMware on Sept. 14 upgraded its Workstation software package to version 8 by adding no fewer than 50 new features.
Workstation, designed for x86 and x86 64-bit servers or PCs, enables users to set up multiple virtual machines on a single physical box. User then can deploy one or more of these virtual machines simultaneously alongside the hosting operating system.
Subsequently, each virtual machine instance can execute its own guest operating system, in addition to Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
New features in Workstation 8, as listed by VMware, include:
- Remote Connections: A seamless way to establish remote connections to hosts running in Workstation, VMware vSphere, and VMware vCenter.
- Share VMs: Users can share VMs so they can be accessed by teammates, providing a fast way to test applications in a more production-like environment.
- Upload to vSphere: Enables users to drag and drop a VM from a user’s desktop to VMware vSphere. This feature allows users to deploy a complete application environment from a PC to a server for further testing, demoing, and analysis.
- New User Interface: Has been revamped with simplified menus, live thumbnails, improved preferences screens, and a new virtual machine library with enhanced searching. Users can now search and access a large library of virtual machines that can reside on your desktop, a server, or on another PC running VMware Workstation.
- Improved Virtual Machine Capabilities: New support for HD audio with 7.1 surround sound, USB 3 and Bluetooth devices. In addition, there are improvements to virtual SMP, 3D graphics performance and new support for 64-GB RAM.
VMware Workstation 8 is immediately now for $199. Upgrades from VMware Workstation 6.x and 7.x are available for $99.