VMWare GSX server now FREE!

[agallag]

VMWare has just released the beta version of "VMWare Server", which is the replacement for GSX, absolutely free (as in beer). You have to register for a serial number, but otherwise it's genuinely free, and will remain so even when the final version is released in Q2. It only runs on server class OSes (W2K3, RHEL, etc, but not XP).

http://www.vmware.com/products/server/

They're apparently doing it to encourage people to upgrade to their high end ESX version, which doesn't require a host OS, and has some other datacenter friendly features.

[Jessterw]

And to ward off the increasing competition they face in this space

[agallag]

Right. That too.

They've always been the highest quality, now they're the cheapest too.

[Nowhere]

Allright...so this is basically as good as VMWare Workstation, but it runs just on servers? (no problem here )

[Claymonkey]

hrm.... this could be useful for me with a current project.

[agallag]

Compared to Workstation, this one has the following differences that I've found so far.

1. Runs as a service
2. Web based monitoring of resource utilization on the server
3. Only one snapshot per VM (workstation wins this one)
4. Remote connection to VMs using client utility (ie. keep the server in the server room, access the VMs from your desk)

The performance seems about the same for both, and both support 64bit host and guest OSes.