Which is better Virtualbox or Vmware. Comparison of Oracle VirtualBox and VMware Workstation Choosing a Virtual Machine

To have at hand several operating systems with separate workspace and applications, no need to buy a second (third, fourth, etc.) computer. Because it all fits into your only PC. How? Thanks to virtual machines (VM) - special programs that create (emulate) imaginary (virtual) computers inside the main operating system.

The virtual PC is almost like a real one. It has its own processor, memory, HDD, network adapter and everything else. Of course, these are not physical devices, but they are made in such a way that operating systems consider them just like that - real.

Several virtual ones can work on one physical computer at the same time. How much depends on hardware resources: the faster the processor, the larger the RAM, the more spacious the drive, the more. A typical mid-range home PC running Windows 10 can handle three to five lightweight operating systems (such as Windows XP, Android, and Lubuntu + base system) running concurrently. Or two or three relatively heavyweight ones (for example, basic Windows 10 + virtual Windows 7 and Mac OS X). As you already understood, virtual computer emulator applications allow you to install and run a wide variety of operating systems on them.

General purpose virtual machines (as opposed to specialized ones such as, for example, VM Java) use:

To run applications that the main system does not support.
To protect the system from the potential harm of unverified programs.
As an additional barrier against viruses when visiting questionable web resources.
To create an isolated environment for studying malware activity.
As a testing ground for debugging your own developments.
To master the technologies of building networks.
For double authorization on some game portals and much more.

And of course, virtual machines are widely used to distribute server working resources.

Today we will not touch upon the industrial application of VM, but consider only what can be useful for home users of Windows.

Oracle Virtualbox

Let's take a look at the process of creating a new virtual machine and starting the installation of Windows 10 into it.

Click the "Create" button in the top panel.

In the first window of the VM creation wizard, we will indicate the OS name (it will be displayed in the list of guest systems), its type (Windows, Linux, etc.) and version. In our example, this is Windows 10 32 bit (you can also install 64 bit, but it will require more resources). Click Next to proceed to the next step.

Next, we will indicate the size random access memory VM. By default, Windows 10 x86 is allocated 1 GB, but you can increase this amount by moving the slider to the right. If your PC does not have a lot of RAM, do not give the VM more than 2-3 GB, otherwise the main system will slow down due to lack of memory.

Next, we create a virtual hard disk. If you are installing the system for the first time, select the "Create new" option.

Leave the default virtual disk type.

A storage format is an area on your computer's physical storage that is assigned to a VM. It can have a constant or dynamically expanding volume within the limits that you define further. To save space, we will choose a dynamic format.

Next, we will indicate the name of the volume (virtual disk C) and its size. The default is 32 GB.

After clicking the "Create" button in the last window, a new virtual machine will appear in the list. Its parameters are shown in the frame on the right.
To proceed to the Windows installation, click the "Run" button in the top panel.

In the window that will open after that, a window will appear “Select boot disk". Click on the folder icon and specify the path to the system distribution kit. It can be an image in .iso format or physical media (DVD, flash drive). After selecting the distribution, click "Continue".

The further course of OS installation into a virtual machine does not differ from its installation on a physical computer.

Some VM and guest settings

Clicking in the virtual machine window captures the mouse cursor (that is, it will only move within the virtual screen). Press Ctrl + Alt to return the cursor to the main OS.

To access the entire set of functions of the guest OS, you need to install special add-ons. Go to the "Devices" menu, click "Mount Guest OS Additions Disk Image" and follow the further instructions.

To connect a folder to the guest system for sharing files with the main one, click on the "Devices" menu item "Shared folders". Click on the "folder +" icon in the window that opens and through the "path to folder" field specify it in the explorer (it shows the directories of the main system).

If you want the setting to work all the time, check Auto Connect and Create Permanent Folder. a shared folder will be accessible from the explorer of the virtual machine as a network.

To change the order of polling boot devices (for example, to boot a virtual machine from DVD), shut down the guest OS, open its settings (in the main window of Virtualbox) and go to the first tab of the "System" section. In the Boot Order list, mark the media you want and use the arrow buttons to move it up.

VMware Workstation Pro

Some options for Hyper-V virtual machines

To take a snapshot of a running guest OS, open the top menu of its Action window and click Check Point". Or press the combination Ctrl + N.

Access to the settings of an individual virtual machine is opened from its context menu in the list of the main manager window and is hidden behind the "Settings" button.

Other features of the program are also very straightforward and are mastered without much difficulty.

Every PC user sometimes wants to try some other operating system, but hesitates to install it on his work computer. Indeed, installing an unfamiliar OS is a very risky act. One wrong command can lose all data on the disk. But today there is a way to test several operating systems on one computer at once, and, if desired, even simultaneously! This method is called a virtual machine or virtual computer... Consider three best programs that allow you to use virtualization technology at home.

Understanding virtual machines

Virtualization systems that exist today have a lot in common. In particular, each virtual machine recognizes a CD drive as well as a floppy drive. In addition, it is possible to work with virtual drives and disk images. Very useful is the ability to manually set the amount of RAM for each of the virtual machines, list of connected devices, etc. Such flexible settings allow you to comfortably use the guest system. A very convenient feature is the ability to suspend a virtual machine at any time. This frees up the necessary hardware resources for the host system.

All the differences between existing virtual machines, in fact, are reduced only to the list of supported operating systems, as well as the cost. The most common systems today are VirtualBox, Windows Virtual PC and VMWare. How are they different?

ORACLE VirtualBox - versatile, free virtual machine

VirtualBox- very simple, powerful and free tool for virtualization, developing thanks to the support of the famous ORACLE corporation. Allows you to install as a "guest" almost any modern operating system, be it Windows, MacOS or any of the many representatives of the Linux family.

Creating virtual machines in VirtualBox is done with step by step wizard... Any more or less experienced PC user can understand its work. The system supports networking, therefore, if desired, you can give the virtual machine access to the Internet.

VirtualBox allows you to take "snapshots" of the operating system. With their help, you can create "restore points" to which you can "roll back" the guest system at any time in case of errors or failures.

Windows Virtual PC - a virtual machine from Microsoft

Windows Virtual PC Screen Windows Virtual PC is a virtual machine for working only and exclusively with Windows. Installing Linux, MacOS and other operating systems are not supported.

Virtual PC allows you to run several different copies of Windows on the same computer. In this case, you can set them a priority so that in automatic mode allocate more resources for the needs of a particular virtual machine, slowing down the work of the rest.

The monoplatform nature of the Virtual PC virtual machine is its main drawback. However, if you want to test only programs running on Windows, this is not relevant. Some disadvantage can be considered less functional and less convenient interface than in VirtualBox. Otherwise, Virtual PC is quite a reliable tool that allows you to create virtual machines with Microsoft Windows operating systems.

VMware Workstation - for serious tasks

VMWare virtualization screen VMware Workstation is a powerful, paid, highly reliable virtualization program that supports work with Windows and Linux. For virtualization MacOS, this machine is not intended.

Due to its high reliability and the broadest functionality, VMware Workstation is often used not only for testing, but also for the permanent operation of virtual machines as servers, whether it be a firewall that separates an organization's network from the Internet or even a database server.

VMware Workstation is highly configurable, including many hardware options and options network connections to work with the Internet. This system is better than others can reproduce graphics applications on virtual machines, since it has a special virtual 3D accelerator to obtain high quality graphics.

The interface of VMware Workstation is well organized, so it's pretty easy to get comfortable with all its rich functionality. The program fully supports the Russian language.

It should be noted that VMware Workstation has a free "little brother" - VMWare Player. The player does not know how to create virtual machines, but allows you to run previously created in VMware Workstation. This program will be useful in cases of testing, when, for example, a developer automated system will send it for review in the form of a virtual machine image. This practice is becoming more widespread, since it relieves the user of the need to deploy an unfamiliar program on his own.

Summary

If you want to just test any program or new operating system, the best choice there will be a free virtual machine - ORACLE Virtual Box. It supports any modern OS and is highly customizable.

VirtualBox is focused on the current versions of operating systems, therefore, if you need to ensure the operation of any program written for one of older Windows versions, the ideal choice would be Windows Virtual PC - it most reliably implements the subtleties of the work of any version of Windows on the most modern hardware.

If you want to expand serious virtual solution that requires stable, long-term operation, you should choose VMWare Workstation. Although it is a paid system, it guarantees reliable operation for critical tasks.

Virtualization is gaining more and more popularity these days. Very often virtualization is used in production, for example, on servers, VPS and so on, but also in home systems. Virtualization will be especially useful for Linux users who need, for example, to run multiple distributions for testing or Windows.

There are now two of the most popular virtualization environments for Linux - the free VitrualBox and the proprietary Vmware. Each of the programs has its own pros and cons, in this article we will try to figure out which is better than Virtualbox or Vmware, as well as how they differ. For convenience, we will compare different categories.

For many users, especially home computer the price has a very great importance... And this is where vmware workstation or virtualbox are different.

VirtualBox

Wednesday virtualization VirtualBox distributed with open source code... It is developed by a community of programmers around the world and is available for use completely free of charge.

VMware

Everything is a little more complicated here, the program is commercial, but it has several editions. For corporate users, there is a version of VMWare Workstation Pro, which has many more functions, for example, connecting to vSphere servers, ESXi, setting up networks, creating encrypted machines, and so on. In the free version of VMware Player, functionality is limited, it is intended only for home use, and I must say that its functions are quite enough. There are the same installation templates, detailed settings virtual machines, networking and more.

2. System installation process

One way or another, after installing the program itself, you still need to configure everything and install the operating system in the virtual environment. Therefore, this point is very important. The process of installing and configuring systems is similar, but there are differences.

VirtualBox

All configuration is done in a GUI, unlike console tools like qemu. During the creation of the machine, you will have to specify many settings, select the type and bitness of the operating system, select the amount of memory for it, create a hard disk, configure video memory. Installation can be carried out from ISO image, USB stick or DVD disc... But you will have to go through the entire installation process manually, just like installing on a regular computer.

VMware

Virtual VMware machine makes the installation much easier, there are more settings for the virtual machine, but the main thing is not that there are templates for various operating systems with which you can install them automatically. For example, you choose a template for Ubuntu or Windows, set the initial parameters, specify the installation image and go about your business, and when you return, the system is already ready. VMware also has tools to optimize guest performance in a virtual environment.

3. Opportunities

Most of the differences when comparing Virtualbox versus VMware can be found in the capabilities of virtual machines.

Virtualbox

Although VirtualBox is a free solution, the virtual machine has its advantages. Let's consider the main features:

Support for work through command line;
Screen integration, shared clipboard and file exchange between host and guest;
3D graphics support is limited, only OpenGL up to 3.0;
An unlimited number of operating system snapshots are supported;
Supports virtual machine disk encryption via VBoxExtensions;
USB 2.0 / 3.0 are supported;
Video recording from the car is supported.

Of the minuses, it can be noted that you cannot allocate more than 256 megabytes of video memory to the machine, and for modern systems this is not very much. DirectX for 3D graphics is also not supported.

VMware

VMware has a little more functions, but the free version does not have everything, consider the features of the free version:

Automatic installation of systems by template;
Detailed hardware configuration, including setting the processor ID, arbitrary amount of video memory and other parameters;
Simple configuration of a virtual network between machines, it rises automatically, unlike VirtualBox;
Improved support for graphics and DirectX 10, you can play games;
More complete BIOS implementation and EFI support;

The disadvantages include the lack of video recording, lack of support for snapshots in the free version. Although machines can be cloned in this way, taking pictures, but the native functionality of pictures would be much more convenient. If we take the professional version, then there are images and integration with the cloud, but we will not talk about this.

4. Performance

Contrary to the beliefs of many users, virtual machines are not much slower than the host, sometimes even at the same speed. This is achieved through support for hardware virtualization and virtual machine optimizations. As for the differences in performance between implementations, for example, VMware or VirtualBox, they are insignificant and almost invisible to the eye.

Many users claim that VMware's performance is better. Plus, VMware does a lot better in terms of graphics.

conclusions

Our VitrualBox vs VMware comparison has come to an end. There are many factors to consider when choosing virtualization software. But the most important thing is your needs and personal preferences. If you want a stable virtual machine with good graphics performance that you can install systems into automatically, but you don't care about snapshots, you can opt for VWware.

If you are a free software lover and want snapshots, but hardware settings are not so important to you, then you can use VirtualBox. Which virtual machine are you using? How would you answer the question which is better than VirtualBox or VMware? Why did you choose her? Write in the comments!

Related entries:

Performance modern computers has long exceeded the standard needs of most organizations and individual users. And more and more often, instead of several servers, the rack space is occupied by a single one, which is then "sliced" into several machines. There are usually no problems with the choice of hardware, but it is more difficult to choose a virtualization system.

VMware ESXi

Anyone who has worked with virtual machines since the turn of the century is familiar with VMware products, which were popular for their functionality and performance.

Even today, you can often find VMware Workstation and VMware Player on desktops. The latter appeared as an answer to MS Virtual PC and is free version Workstation. It works from under the installed OS, that is, it is not quite suitable for an industrial environment. For installation on bare metal, VMware ESXi is offered - an independent product that is the basis for installing guest operating systems, and together with VMware vSphere - a tool for building virtual infrastructure and managing virtual resources (for more details in the article "Virtual sphere", see] [08.2010 ). In fact, ESXi is a heavily stripped-down version of Linux, containing a hypervisor (VMkernel) and management consoles: vCLI (vSphere CLI), PowerCLI (PowerShell interface to vCLI), SSH and DCUI (Direct Console User Interface).

Previously, ESXi was considered the "little brother" in the VMware product line, as it is a free and stripped-down version of ESX. But the time of ESX has passed, the next versions of VMware vSphere will include support exclusively for ESXi (its alternative name is also proposed - VMware vSphere Hypervisor), and all the advantages of ESX over ESXi have come to naught. So the developers recommend moving to ESXi.

The main difference between ESXi and ESX is architecture. ESX is based on a full-fledged version of Linux, on which you can install your applications if necessary. VMware agents work through COS (Console OS), that is, through an additional layer. As a result, we have a larger distribution kit: ~ 2 GB compared to 350 MB for ESXi (only 70 MB is put on hard disk).

In ESXi, agents work directly in the VMkernel, if necessary, third-party modules (monitoring, drivers) are also displayed on the hypervisor. Fewer layers mean more reliability and security, less room for attacks.

The distribution kit can be written to a flash drive or even embedded in the server firmware. Due to some peculiarities, the official list of compatible hardware for ESXi (clck.ru/9xlp) is smaller than that of ESX, which is also supported by older servers, but it will increase over time. In addition, volunteers have created an unofficial list of ESXi Whitebox HCL computers (clck.ru/9xnD) running VMware ESXi. Systems from this list are used at your own risk, but usually no problems arise.

The product from VMware is distinguished by its support for a large number of guest operating systems. There is a complete mince here - Windows, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, Netware and many others, the whole list is available on the site.

The functionality of the latest ESXi releases has already been "pulled up" to the capabilities of ESX - there is integration with Active Directory (any Account will be checked in the directory), extended memory management functions (unused resources are freed), joint work with VMware vStorage VMFS / Storage VMotion and SAN storage systems, traffic prioritization, VMsafe Security API security technology. Flexible resource allocation allows you to "hot" add CPU, RAM, hard disk (including changing the size of the current one without rebooting).

Installing a distribution on bare metal is very simple ( standard version from a drive or via PXE), in addition, starting from version 4.1, scripts are supported that automate the process of installing software, configuring the network and connecting to the vCenter Server. Management is integrated via vSphere API Reserve copy ESXi.

It is also important to have a special VMware vCenter Converter (vmware.com/products/datacentervirtualization/converter), which allows you to use MS Virtual Server, Virtual PC, Hyper-V images in ESXi, as well as physical servers and images of disk partitions created by programs such as Acronis True Image, Norton Ghost and others.

In addition, the free VMware Go web service (go.vmware.com) can help you deploy ESXi, which allows you to test physical server for compatibility, install ESXi and create new VMs.

MS Hyper-V

Virtualization technology from MS, the final version of which was released in summer 2008. With the release of Win2k8R2, Hyper-V received new features - Live Migration, dynamic memory, improved a number of tools and hardware support.

Hyper-V is built on the principle of a hypervisor with a microkernel and communicates directly with the server hardware on Ring-1. This reduces costs, resulting in a high working speed. It is offered in two versions - as a Windows Server 2k8 / R2 role (available in full version and Server Core) or as a standalone solution for bare metal installation - MS Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 (microsoft.com/hyper-v-server). The latter is distributed free of charge (does not require a Client Access License), a license is required only for guest Windows. Basically, this is a stripped-down version of Server Core, in which one role is installed (without the ability to change) and management tools are limited.

In addition to the license, there are other differences between the different versions of Hyper-V, but the free version contains everything you need to build a virtualization server. These are support for Live Migration technology, server consolidation and node clustering.

The server on which MS Hyper-V Server is installed can have 1 TB of RAM and up to 8 CPUs, which is quite enough for the tasks of a small and medium organization.
32-bit and 64-bit are officially supported. Windows versions XP SP3, Vista SP2 / 2k3 SP1 / 2k8 and Linux (SLES and RHEL). But on the Internet you can find a dozen manuals that describe the successful operation of other versions of * nix - Ubuntu, FreeBSD and so on. For installation, it is recommended to choose Linux distributions with kernel 2.6.32+, which adds support for Hyper-V (LinuxIC, MS is distributed under the GPL). True, only Win2k8 guests can be configured with 4 vCPUs.

To install MS Hyper-V Server, you need a computer with x64 CPU that supports Intel technology VT or AMD-V, and at least 1 GB of RAM.

To manage large arrays of virtual servers, MS offers a separate product, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 (SCVMM 2008), which has tools for P2V (Physical to Virtual) and V2V server conversions (with VMware). Again, in the list of supported for P2V only Win. Therefore, to migrate your server running on Linux, you have to take a long path: VMware vCenter Converter .. ESXi .. SCVMM .. Hyper-V. This process does not always go smoothly, especially for distributions that are not officially supported.

In this case, it is safer to install the system clean and then transfer the data from the backup. Instead of SCVMM in this bundle, you can use free VMDK2VHD (vmtoolkit.com/files), Citrix XenConvert, Quest vConverter (

Virtual machine is a program that allows you to get a computer into a computer. That is, your real computer is able to emulate another computer (with a different hardware, operating system, BIOS and others).

main destinationserver virtualization (invirtual machines) is the installation and testing of programs on different operating systems, which helps to determine where the program runs faster, where the interface is more convenient, etc.

Advantages of modern virtual machines:

You can install any OS without messing up or cluttering your own hard drive;
You can test different applications by comparing their performance on different operating systems;
You can check files for infection by running them in an artificial shell that you create in a virtual machine;
You can create and administer networks in various OSs to help you learn the architecture corporate networks more in-depth;
You can run programs that are not available for your operating system.

Today there are many options for emulators that are able to reproduce different operating systems: from popular ( Windows ) to little-known ( Calibri ), from the oldest to the newest. And now we will take a short tour of the most famous virtual machines by making detailed review on them.

Virtual Machine Overview

1 - VirtualBox . Perhaps the most famous user emulator program provided by the company Oracle ... The program has a simple user interface and built-in Russification, which is already suitable for novice users.

Installation is also not difficult, because there is an installation wizard. You will be immediately prompted to create a virtual machine, select an OS, and give it a name. Then you must give the "new" computer a certain amount of operational and internal memory(no more than half of real iron). Then comes the choice of the type of disk and further configuration of the system. By following the recommendations, you will be able to keep two OSes on your computer without causing damage to the main system.

VirtualBox program has a simple and precise structure, as well as a number of interesting options. For example, you can record screen video for software demonstration on another OS. It is possible in this program import any virtual disks, you can follow the indicators of the I / O controllers, besides, there is a sharing of clipboard access, which is also very convenient.

2 - VirtManager . A program that is also easy to operate, but still somewhat more complicated than the previous version. A newbie can easily get confused here, and the list of all 86-bit operating systems alone can be overwhelming.

Here, the installation is somewhat more complicated, because to create a virtual machine, you need to create a storage pool, and for this you need to assign a specific directory. However, the complex installation is due to good opportunities this virtual machine.

For example, you can add equipment and constantly monitor them, detailed statistics are displayed, the performance of the entire system, you can control the machine through the command line, and many more useful properties.

You just need to understand it a little, and then you can get a handy tool for emulating a new OS.

3 - GnomeBoxes . If the previous program required certain knowledge and time from users to study, and it was more suitable for system administrators, then the utility Gnome boxes much simpler and more suitable for an ordinary user to familiarize themselves with.

In a couple of clicks, you can set up a full-fledged virtual machine, besides, the program has a simple, colorful interface. Yes, the capabilities of the program are greatly reduced in comparison with the previous alternative, but it provides the main base of capabilities.

A great option for a novice user who will show what virtual machines are capable of.

4 - VMware Player. Do not be embarrassed by the word "Player", because today it is no longer a player, but a program for creating a full-fledged virtual machine, and of a rather high quality.

If you are not developing your own software, then VMware Player is perfect for you, otherwise it is better to choose another emulator, because there is not even a full-fledged configuration of network adapters.

For most users, however, this is an excellent program in which you can configure both network configurations and keep track of the number of malware, and put Windows XP , which literally will be "rubber", i.e. powerful enough.

5 - WmwareWorkstation . But here the emulator, on the contrary, is perfect for software developers. That is one possibility of grouping virtual machines. Those. you can simultaneously run the program on all operating systems and conduct thorough analytics.

Now it is possible to create machines with a central processor, memory size up to 16 GB, which allows you to test powerful enough software tools on other OSs. However, it is much more convenient to purchase the entire package W M ware and use this package to its fullest.