VMware has released a public beta of its VMware Server 2 virtualization software. VMware Server 2 introduces an intuitive Web-based management interface that provides a consistent management experience for Linux and Windows users. This includes an embedded virtual machine console, full management functionality, and the ability to create customized remote console URLs for virtual machine users.
In addition to the Web-based management interface, VMware Server 2 beta includes:
- Virtual Machine Interface (VMI) support. VMware Server 2 includes support for transparent paravirtualization through VMI, enabling enhanced communication between virtualized operating systems and the virtualization layer.
- Support for high-speed USB 2.0 devices. The USB 2.0 support provided by VMware Server 2 allows for increased flexibility for customers using peripheral devices in virtualized environments.
- Enhanced memory and processor support. VMware Server 2 now supports up to 8 GB of RAM per virtual machine and up to 2 Virtual SMP processors. It also features support for 64-bit guest operating systems on 64-bit compatible processors.
Vmware Server 2 also supports a range of hardware and more than 30 flavors of guest operating systems including various Linux distributions (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and Ubuntu 7.10), Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 (beta), and Windows Vista.
