Last Friday saw the long-awaited release of VMware Server 2.0 beta 2, Build 84186.
New features in VMware Server 2.0 beta 2
VMware website highlights the following new features of this VMware Server 2.0 release:
- Updated VMware Infrastructure (VI) Web Access management interface: With the faster performance, improved stability and broader range of configuration options, the VI Web Access management interface provides a simple, flexible, intuitive and productive management experience. In addition, embedded help files are context sensitive based on the task being performed.
- Independent virtual machine console: With the new VMware Remote Console, you can access your virtual machine consoles independent of the VI Web Access management interface plus resize the virtual machine console windows as needed.
- Support for USB 2.0 devices: Transfer data at faster data rates from USB 2.0 devices.
- Multi-tiered permissions: Configure different levels of permissions to access virtual machines in different ways, including browsing, interacting, configuring and administering virtual machines.
- New hardware editors: Edit and add devices such as USB 2.0 devices and legacy devices such as floppy drives, serial and parallel ports.
- Automatically start your virtual machines: Select which virtual machines that you want to automatically start when VMware Server starts. In addition, there is also an option to boot the virtual machine directly into the BIOS Setup Screen.
- Link to Virtual Appliance Marketplace: Access thousands of pre-built, pre-configured, ready-to-run enterprise applications packaged with an operating system inside a virtual machine. This speeds up time to value and simplifies software development, distribution, and management.
My impressions from VMware Server 2.0 beta 2
I didn't have much time to assess this release properly, but so far the impressions have been most positive ones:
– Beta download page – instead of filling in all the details on the VMware Server 2.0 download page, you can now simply specify your email used during a previous Server 2.0 beta registration, and skip straight to the EULA and then download links and registration keys. Sweet!
– VMware Infrastructure Web Access has gone through truly amazing transformation – it's very responsive and much more intuitive – I really like it
– Independent console – I've been longing for this functionality since the very beginning. It only makes sense that you can detach your console window from the rest of your browsing environment. Now, that's a remote console as it should be, definitely!
I'll continue my experiments and will be sure to post more in the coming weeks. For the moment though, I advise you to download VMware Server 2.0 beta 2 and explore it yourself.
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