The guys over at BYOB, including our very own Tim Daleo, have just released episode 14.
Here is what they say about this weeks show:
This week we on BYOB Is Intel trying to rip you off? AMD reveals their new Zacate APU. Mike breaks down the basics of Virtual Machines, while Michael and Tim chime in with their opinions. We decided to go easy on our listeners and kept the show a bit shorter this week. We hope you enjoy this episode and remember to post your comments and questions on the forums.
News
Intel offers Software style upgrades for you CPU
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/18/intel-wants-to-charge-50-to-unlock-stuff-your-cpu-can-already-d/
AMD’s answer for the mobile sector debuts
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3933/amds-zacate-apu-performance-update
Virtual Machine 101
Type I – Hypervisors
These are often referred to as baremetal VM’s as they simply manage the hardware for you VMs these are not full featured operating systems, nor are they programs. These are best used for dedicated servers that will run multiple VM’s on them. Here are a few free Hypervisors.
Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2
VMWare vSphere (ESXi)
Be aware that going with this type of of Server isn’t like installing windows and bang she’s ready to rock ‘n roll. Setup often involves command line interfaces & marginal GUIs if you’re lucky. They are designed to work on active directory structures and therefore may require a workaround to get it running on a workgroup. Be sure to understand VM basics before deciding to go this route. Type I is probably the better way to go if want to implement a enterprise style server running several VMs in a production environment.
Type II – The Virtualization Environments
These are the programs which create a Virtual Environments in existing operating systems. This enables you to run a virtual machine without needing to invest in separate dedicated hardware. these can be run on any existing PC (provided the hardware supports virtual technology) without sacrificing it’s primary role. These are great for testing new software and creating learning environments. Here are a few we mentioned in the podcast.
Windows Virtual PC
After trying each of these three approaches, I am left with similar thoughts that I had in March when I wrote the article “Virtual Machines for the Masses” back in March. Most of these are fairly straight forward but only one really stands out as stable, flexible, and problem free and that is VirtualBox. If you want to run a VM in a desktop for whatever reason, then I would recommend using VirtualBox. Some of the menus and configuration choices are not always obvious but in all the testing I did it was the only one that ultimately worked without any hassle. I still think that in a home environment, that VM are mainly for testing or for running other OS’s other than your native OS. In rare cases they can be used to run legacy software that may not run on new OS’s. Overall, VM’s are a great tool for both business and home use. In business, the “baremetal” approach using Hypervisor’s such as ESXi or Hyper-V are better suited and certainly more configurable however they also require a higher level of experience to run and setup, and certainly to customize. The average user will be better suited with a desktop OS solution however should keep it in perspective of what you want to use it for.
Pros and cons of using a VM:
Pros:
· Can be done with existing hardware with minimal to no upgrading required.
· Does not require purchasing additional hardware to run or test multiply OS’s
· Testing software and OS with little to no danger to your machine
· Maximizing you hardware
Cons:
· Increased complications if host machines go down.
· Requires moderate to higher end hardware
As usual you can listen to the show here.
