Desktop virtualization pioneer runs into early bugs

Peripheral devices attached to USB and FireWire ports must be switched manually and custom-configured from virtual machine to virtual machine. In certain instances, FireWire devices cannot be addressed from a virtual machine. In those instances, the virtual-machine operating system will not recognize the existence of the FireWire port.

Graphics acceleration may work, work partially or not work at all, depending on the graphics-board vendor for the Apple Mac. Even if there are graphics-accelerator drivers for all the respective virtual-machine operating systems, Fusion may not be able to present the accelerator transparently to a virtual machine.

Numerous problems exist with bridged and network-address-translation (NAT) networking between the virtual machines and OS X, including discovering whether OS X network connections are available, the subsequent automatic network-address refresh, and DNS and Windows Internet Name Service pass-through. Wireless-LAN-attached input devices, such as scanners, cannot be recognized by virtual machines, and so forth.

The Apple Mac OS X has an excellent backup-and-recovery engine called "Time Machine." This allows transparent, automatic scheduled back-ups. Unfortunately, it does not work for all virtual machines and their associated files. Although VMware presumably fixed this flaw in Version 1.1.2, Fusion still has problems backing up virtual-machine files. The only way around this inconsistency is to provide back-up software for each virtual machine.

Virtual security is another interesting problem. The Apple Mac OS X is known for its security strengths with respect to viruses, intrusion-detection and so forth. These seemingly intrinsic capabilities are not virtualized by Fusion and must be provided for within each virtual machine.

The last problem is managing the virtual environment. It was assumed incorrectly that Fusion had a single set of software tools that comprehensively provided governance, configuration, management and control of all virtual machines. Shipping complex software without detailed management tools seems out of place for 2008.

Each virtual machine and its operating environment must be managed separately, however. Fusion contains only rudimentary application tools to manage its own environment.

As stated earlier, next-generation-desktop virtualization is in its infancy, but should reach maturity in the 2010 time frame. VMware is addressing most of the above operational problems in a major release (Fusion 2.0) scheduled for later this year. Virtual printing will be enabled by detecting and mapping all default and configured OS X printers automatically. It is hoped that virtual peripherals will correct USB and FireWire discovery and allocation problems. Virtual networking has been enabled to resolve the bridged- and NAT-networking conflicts uncovered in previous releases.

Virtual management has been enhanced with new virtual-machine library and setting editor software. Fusion Release 2.0 includes new features and tools, for example: launching a default virtual machine or machines when Fusion launches; a closer link to Apple OS X utilities with their recognition of virtual-machine environments; and a single dashboard overview of all virtual-machine settings and configurations. No virtual security or complete solutions for graphics acceleration seem to be incorporated in Release 2.0, but time and greater use of next-generation desktop-virtualization will speed the delivery of additional features and bring this form of technology into the mainstream of computing and networking.

VMware seems to be on the right track with this new technology. Microsoft, Apple and open source will not be left out of the desktop virtualization marketplace in the near future. The next-generation desktop coupled with telepresence, the Internet and cloud computing will bring the power of corporate computing and networks into homes, schools, communities and small businesses. Once you have experienced the virtualization-enabled multitasking-power and application-flexibility of the next-generation desktop, you will not look back!