VMWare Gives Away GSX Server

[GHoosdum]

In an effort to remain competitive in the virtualization market, VMWare is giving away its GSX Server product, while hoping that customers will want to upgrade to the company's more powerful ESX Server.

GSX runs on a "host" Windows or Linux operating system and then lets "guest" operating systems run atop it in compartments called virtual machines. The higher-end ESX product, in contrast, needs no host and runs below the operating system layer.
...
Today, GSX costs $1,400 for dual-processor servers and $2,800 for more powerful machines. ESX, while more expensive, permits more sophisticated features such as VMotion, which lets one running operating system be moved from one server to another while it's still running.
Source: News.com (http://news.com.com/VMware+to+make+server+product+free/2100-1012_3-6034615.html?tag=nefd.top)

[drasnor]

SWEET!

-drasnor :fold:

[deicist (Guest)]

Drasnor, I take it you know something about this product, do you know if it would be possible to run 4 seperate servers on one physical box using this? Given appropriate hardware of course. I ask because the company I work for is looking at setting up a seperate failover site in case our head office (which houses all our servers) fails. Running 4 servers in one box would be ideal for this if it's possible.

[GHoosdum]

Assuming you've got a lot of memory, I'm pretty sure you can handle 4 VMs on 1 physical box. Here's some info on GSX:

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

[Shorty]

Drasnor, I take it you know something about this product, do you know if it would be possible to run 4 seperate servers on one physical box using this? Given appropriate hardware of course. I ask because the company I work for is looking at setting up a seperate failover site in case our head office (which houses all our servers) fails. Running 4 servers in one box would be ideal for this if it's possible.
I use GSX everyday :)

Yes. You can indeed run 4 virtual full servers on a single host if you have enough memory and a reasonable amount of performance.

A standard IBM dual Xeon 346 series with 6GB of RAM can host about 6-8 Windows and/or Linux instances with ease.

Using GSX is simple. Create a virtual machine definition on your host, assign x amount of RAM, disk space, virtual CD rom, network card.. and so on. Then turn on your virtual machine, install your OS of choice... configure as it was a real server :)

I am an advocate and half for Virtualisation technology. I think GSX going free or extremely reduced in price can only be good for it. It's the way forward :)

I've had to use VMWare GSX as well in a few of my classes, I've never had any problems with it, in fact we were using Sun Enterprise servers and installing Windows 2000 as a virtual machine.

[Deicist (Guest)]

Ah, cheers for the info fellas, very helpful as always :)

[RWB]

With GSX could I run Windows 98 on my computer as well so I can play some older games that only run on 98 without having to reboot all the time and whatnot?

[Enverex]

Virtualisation technology still isn't viable for gaming though is it...?

[BLuKnight]

I've not played with GSX, but I can't get enough of Virtual Workstation. It blows away MS's Virtual PC.

[Camman]

Virtualisation technology still isn't viable for gaming though is it...?

I havent used it for gaming but VMWare is pretty solid, if any virtualization product can do it then VMWare is definitly worth checking out

[drasnor]

I wouldn't try to run four virtual servers on one machine unless the contents of those servers aren't terribly important to whoever your users are. It's like putting all of your software eggs in one proverbial hardware basket: any hardware failure takes all four down. Seeing as this is a backup box for your main servers and you only fail one or two at a time I suppose it would be possible.

RWB: I don't know, but I intend to try.

-drasnor :fold:

[RWB]

Is it only gonna be available starting monday?

[Shorty]

I wouldn't try to run four virtual servers on one machine unless the contents of those servers aren't terribly important to whoever your users are. It's like putting all of your software eggs in one proverbial hardware basket: any hardware failure takes all four down. Seeing as this is a backup box for your main servers and you only fail one or two at a time I suppose it would be possible.

RWB: I don't know, but I intend to try.

-drasnor :fold:
Deployment of ANY production server, whether it is VM or physical.. should be fully backed up and have a tested DR (disaster recovery) plan :)

You are fine to put four VM's on a host (eggs in one basket) as long as you have the above :)

[Vicar]

Is it easier to use VMware to run two operating systems(XP Pro and Centos 4.3 or other Linux OS0 or just dual boot?

When or where is the link to the 'free GSX Server'?

Any suggestions welcome

[Enverex]

Depends. If you just want to play about with an OS then a VM would do fine, but other than that, it's not really an alternative to dual booting. VMs also lack any graphics accelleration.

[Qeldroma]

Are these going to be business useable copies or done against a GPL?