Overview
A guest operating system is installed and run virtually on VMware. IS&T supports installation of Windows (XP and Vista) and Red Hat Enterprise Linux as guest operating systems on VMware Fusion and Workstation.
Athena guest operating systems are not yet recommended or supported by IS&T. There are several known issues in the areas of networking, licensing, and time synchronization. The IS&T Vmware project team is currently reviewing these issues and may offer Athena guest operating system support in the future.
Licensing
You are responsible for ensuring that all software (applications and operating systems) you run on your virtual machines are licensed to run on those virtual machines. Be aware that some vendors may have licensing restrictions related to virtual machines.
OS Licensing Overview (not comprehensive, review your own license for additional information):
- Apple does not allow Mac OS X Client to be virtualized. Mac OS X Server's license does allow for virtualization on Apple-labeled hardware, but VMware Fusion does not currently support it. Should VMware Fusion ever support Mac OX Server, you would need an individual Server license for each virtualized server in addition to the license for your host OS.
- Microsoft permits Windows licensing on VMware. Each virtual installation is considered a separate computer requiring an individual license.
- Red Hat permits Enterprise Linux licensing on VMware. Each virtual installation is considered a separate computer requiring an individual license.
Before You Begin
- Review the Known Issues to avoid any known pitfalls.
- Back up your system. Before beginning any installation, IS&T recommends you have a current and complete backup of your existing system. While we have tested the install process, there is an infinite number of possible system configurations, and some may cause problems.
- Note: 64 bit virtual machine guests will only run on 64 bit host operating systems. 64 bit hosts will support both 32 bit and 64 bit guest virtual machines. For more information see: Vmware's knowledge base article: Hardware and Firmware Requirements for 64-Bit Guest Operating Systemshttp://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1901
Installing
VMware's Guest Operating System Install Guide
[PDF]
Using your Guest OS
Security Recommendations & Best Practices
Networking Info Link