VMware VS VirtualBox

Irving Leonard irving.lp at feestudiantes.cujae.edu.cu
Sat Mar 21 22:39:42 UTC 2009


I would like to add something
VirtualBox OSE, in contrast to VirtualBox (the pay one) cames with NAT network 
out of the box. I read that is possible to expose the VM to the network but 
you need to do some tunnels; VMWare-workstation can use bridged networking 
out of the box (for free) so I sugest vmware for server deployment (unless 
you want to pay for virtualbox). Personaly I prefer virtualbox for client 
deployment, because is also visualy friendly.
Regards
Irving

El Monday 16 March 2009 06:41:13 am Edmund Laugasson escribió:
> > Can anyone compare and contrast? I would like to use one or the other.
> > What is best?
>
> VirtualBox can be installed in Ubuntu very comfortable way and it always
> works - http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads - there is repo for
> ubuntu and other Debian based distros to install it through APT. VM Ware
> Server has also repo but it is not updated very frequently and also VM Ware
> Server development itself is quite slow. VirtualBox has much faster
> development. Probably VM Ware is developing more those commercial versions
> and free VM Ware Server version is not in focus.
>
> For VM Ware and Linux, especially Ubuntu, you can search from Google. Here
> is one article for reading to get picture -
> http://howtoforge.com/vmware-server-on-ubuntu8.04 This patching script
> doesn't work always... And if you renew your kernel, then this action needs
> to be repeated. using VirtualBox it works flawlessly - after kernel update
> and restart just run sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup to recompile new kernel
> modules and it always succeeded.
>
> After restart make sure you use newly installed kernel. At
> /boot/grub/menu.lst there is useful to have some conf:
>
> ## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
> ## can be true or false
> # updatedefaultentry=true
>
> If you need just one kernel at your boot list, then change this at
> /boot/grub/menu.lst:
>
> ## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
> ## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
> ## alternative kernel options
> ## e.g. howmany=all
> ##      howmany=7
> # howmany=1
>
>
> There are some prebuilt VM Ware modules for Linux:
> http://www.vmware.com/support/reference/linux/prebuilt_modules_linux.html
>
> VM Ware has true BIOS simulator, VirtualBox doesn't have this. VM Ware
> Workstation has even virtual machine session capture feature into
> videofile. But using VirtualBox and recordMyDesktop can do same. I've done
> this many times using VirtualBox and recordMyDesktop.
>
> VirtualBox works faster than VM Ware. Free VM Ware Server does not have
> shared folders feature. VirtualBox have this.
>
> Under Linux you need some tweaks to get work USB but it can be done by
> adding few lines into conf file(s) and it works well. Also USB 2.0 works
> under VirtualBox. In OSE (OpenSource Edition) there are some missed
> features - http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Editions So, I need usually full
> version.
>
> Look here for USB support at VirtualBox under Linux:
> http://michael-prokop.at/blog/2007/07/11/virtualbox-usb/
> http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-551469.html
>
> Certainly, you can Google for more instructions. But at first look you
> VirtualBox installation - there can be this USB alread work and you don't
> need add those tweaks.
>
> I used:
> # close VirtualBox if it was opened
> # sudo nano /etc/init.d/mountdevsubfs.sh
> # approx 40. row ("Magic to make /proc/bus/usb work") remove # from
> following 4 rows:
>
>       mkdir -p /dev/bus/usb/.usbfs
>       domount usbfs "" /dev/bus/usb/.usbfs
> -obusmode=0700,devmode=0600,listmode=0644 ln -s .usbfs/devices
> /dev/bus/usb/devices
>       mount --rbind /dev/bus/usb /proc/bus/usb
>
> # you can set here also devmode=644, then probably you don't need to add
> those two lines below into /etc/rc.local
>
> # save (F3) and quit (F2)
> # sudo /etc/init.d/mountdevsubfs.sh stop
> # sudo /etc/init.d/mountdevsubfs.sh start
> # sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv reload
>
> Also I added following two lines into /etc/rc.local :
> VBOX=$(grep vboxusers /etc/group | sed 's/vboxusers:x:\(.*\):.*/\1/')
> mount -t usbfs -o devgid=$VBOX,devmode=664,nodev,noexec,nosuid none
> /proc/bus/usb
>
> Note that in /etc/rc.local there must be the word "exit 0" always the last
> and always at least one empty row at the end.
>
> Then my USB support works flawlessly under Linux and VirtualBox. When I
> assign USB-stick into virtualmachine in configuration dialog, then when I
> plug in that USB-stick - it will directly work under virtual machine.
>
> VirtualBox 2.1.4 has also experimental 3D support. In VM Ware Server I
> tweaked some conf files to get it work but it wasn't stable - next restart
> and 3D support was lost under VM Ware Server. VirtualBox 3D support seems
> to be more stable. More reading about VM Ware 3D support -
> http://www.vmware.com/support/ws55/doc/ws_vidsound_d3d_enabling_vm.html
>
> I've used VM Ware Workstation under Linux and Windows several years but now
> I use VirtualBox, because it works faster and frequent updates are coming -
> development is at good level. Also VirtualBox installation especially under
> Linux works much-much better than VM Ware installation.
>
> VM Ware Server kernel modules are buggy for Linux and it's real pain to get
> it work. You need to patch VM Ware modules and recompile and repack them
> again, etc. For that you need build-essential package and also kernel
> headers, which adds tons of new packages to your system, which you normally
> don't need. VirtualBox installation over APT works flawlessly and also
> kernel modules are compiled very easily and always succeeded. This reason
> has been main reason why I took VirtualBox and use it now.
>
> Perhaps under windows there is VM Ware Server easier to install and there
> is no big difference but VirtualBox is lightweight and works faster for me,
> especially switching between full screen and windowed mode.
>
> VM Ware Server needs registration at VM Ware webpage to get free licence
> keys to install. VirtualBox has no licence keys and you can install it
> right now.
>
> So, VirtualBox has quite much advantages against free VM Ware Server and
> VirtualBox is also completely free and there is also OpenSource Edition of
> VirtualBox available. VM Ware doesn't give almost any source out, if then
> some small kernel modules.
>
> But as always - it depends all your needs. E.g. VM Ware Server allows to
> boot operatings systems over internet - you can log in as regular user to
> the Windows PC and run virtual maschine installed in there over internet in
> your PC. I think it should work also under Linux but never tested. It was
> damn slow and has no point, perhaps in internal network.
>
>
> Best Regards,
> Edmund Laugasson


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