What is VMware Workstation, and What Does It Do?

Virtualization is critical in today’s technology. That’s why VMware Workstation is one of the top software choices. This strong tool lets us run many operating systems on one physical computer.

If you want to learn different operating systems, this is a great tool. It is also the software we use for virtual servers. In this article, I will explain what VMware Workstation is, its features, and the system requirements. This way, you can run any OS you want on your computer in the virtual machine.

What is the Use of VMware Workstation Pro Software?

VMware Workstation Pro and Player work on both 32-bit and 64-bit computers. Thus, it allows us to run more than one operating system at the same time.

This software is a strong virtualization tool, and it has both paid and free versions. I can say that the free version, Player, is usually great for simple jobs. But if we need something more advanced, it’s better to choose the Pro version.

VMware Workstation software also works well with the hardware on our main computer. This way, we can run all systems, like Windows or Linux, virtually. We can also use macOS systems with an extra tool.

This virtualization software is also very useful for IT experts and tech lovers. Let’s say you want to test your apps on different systems as a developer. In this case, you can test your project on both old and new operating systems.

What Does VMware Workstation Do?

As I said, this desktop virtualization software uses the real hardware of our main PC. Also, it lets us easily save our work in the virtual systems we use.

I would like to give a simple example of what the Workstation tool does. Let’s say you are actively using Windows 10 or 11 on your PC. But you also prefer a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu. In this case, you can install this OS on a virtual machine without using a dual-boot method.

Therefore, with this configuration, you do not need to switch by restarting your PC every time. If you do not want your workflow to be interrupted, Workstation is a great choice here.

In short, by installing VMware software on your computer, you can run many OSes on your desktop in a virtual space. With this, you also get to use the features of Linux (like installing software and running commands).

History

It was founded in 1998 and has developed multiple solutions in the field of virtualization technologies. Workstation software, a great virtualization program, was produced in 2001 and announced to the market.

And nowadays, VMware’s virtualization program is used by many home users and businesses. It can be installed on a home computer or a server. For server solutions, VMware vSphere ESXi Hypervisor is used.

What are VMware Workstation System Requirements?

1) Processor

Processors with 64-bit support developed in 2011 or later are required. The minimum CPU speed should be 1.3.

Your computer must support the processor virtualization feature. We recommend that you check the processor specifications when purchasing a new computer.

From the manufacturer’s website, you can check whether your processor model supports virtualization. Or you can find out if your PC supports virtualization with 3rd party tools.

Unsupported processors are:

• Intel Atom processors with 2011 Bonnell micro-architecture: (Atom Z670 / Z650 and Atom N570).
• Intel Atom processors with 2012 Saltwell micro-architecture: (Atom S1200, Atom D2700 / D2500, and Atom N2800 / N2600).
• AMD processors with Llano and Bobcat micro-architectures: (codenamed Hondo, Ontario, Zacate, and Llano)

2) RAM

The minimum RAM requirement is 2 GB or 4 GB. However, 8GB or 16GB higher capacity is recommended. For example, a virtual machine needs at least 3GB of RAM for Windows 7 Aero graphics support.

3) Display Card

You must have a 16-bit or 32-bit video card on your computer. However, it is recommended that you constantly update your video card drivers, as this will give you a performance boost if you do.

4) Storage

A minimum of 1.2 GB of free disk space is required for installation as hard disk storage space. In addition, additional disk space is needed for each virtual machine to be installed on the host.

It supports IDE, SATA, SCSI, SSD, and NVMe disks as hard disk types. As an optical drive, it supports CD-ROM and DVD-ROM devices and can use ISO or Floppy images.

Since you support SSD disks, it provides a serious performance increase in virtual PC setup and use.

5) Operating System

VMware Player and Pro software run smoothly on 64-bit Windows or Linux computers. The 16th version of Workstation runs on Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows Server 2019/2016/2012, Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, CentOS, Oracle Linux, openSUSE, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

Windows 7 is no longer supported as a host operating system.

Operating System Support

Some of the operating systems you can install on your computer with the VMware virtualization program are as follows;

With VMware, you will need an extra program to install a macOS operating system. You can run macOS on the virtual machine using the VMware Unlocker program.

Operating System Compatibility

The latest version, Workstation 17 Pro, supports all the above systems. You can check out more detailed system compatibility, including Linux versions.

What Can We Do with VMware Workstation?

The VMware virtualization program acts as a bridge between your physical computer’s hardware devices and the virtual machine you install, and shares the resources of your host computer.

VMware uses Virtualization Technology infrastructure. Using the VMware virtual machine program on your computer, you can perform the following scenarios;

1. You can convert the operating system on your computer to a virtual machine. And in the VM, the host’s operating system takes place.
2. If you have a program/software that you frequently use, you can test it by installing it in the VM when the new version of the program is published.
3. You can analyze the situation by opening a suspicious email in your mail account on a VM.
4. You can download a Linux distribution to your host and run it on a virtual PC.
5. You can test a macOS version by installing it on a virtual computer.
6. You can install and test older versions of Windows operating systems (Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000) on a guest machine.

What is the Difference Between VMware Workstation Pro and Player?

VMware virtualization has many options for different users. There are two main versions: Player and Pro.

Both versions let you run multiple OSes on one PC. But each one has different features and abilities.

Now, let’s look at the differences between Pro and Player versions:

• Advanced Virtual Machine (VM) Settings

Workstation Pro has more options for setting up virtual machines than Player. Thus, you can change settings like CPU and memory. These features give you more control over how your virtual machines work.

• Snapshots and Clones

Workstation Pro allows you to take snapshots of the virtual machine. This way, you can save the current state of your VM and then revert to the initial state. In the Pro version, you can create linked clones. However, this feature is not available in the Player version.

• Virtual Network Features

With the Pro version, you can set up advanced network options. For example, you can change virtual networks with NAT, Bridged, or Host-Only options. You also have the Virtual Network Editor tool. You can’t make these changes in the Player version.

• Multi-Monitor Support

Both versions support using more than one screen. With Pro, we can use multiple monitors for a better experience.

• Integration with vSphere and VMware Cloud

Pro works seamlessly with vSphere environments, so you can easily connect to vSphere, ESXi, or vCloud Air. However, Player does not provide this feature to us.

• Enhanced Compatibility with Other VMware Products

With the Pro version, we can import or export VMs that the Player does not offer.

• User Licensing and Support

Workstation Pro is a paid product, so we get official support and updates. The Player is free, but we don’t get enough support or professional service for business use.

How to Use Workstation Pro?

To better understand what Workstation Pro is and how to use it, you must first prepare a new VM. After that, I recommend a clean install of Windows or Linux. Here are some great guides that may be useful to you:

• How to Create a Virtual Machine with VMware
• How to Install Windows 10 in VMware
• How to Configure VMware Network Settings
• How to Increase VMware VM Performance

How to Run Workstation Pro?

• Windows 10

To install Workstation on your Windows 10 computer, click the image below to see our guide.

• Ubuntu

If you want to put the VMware program on Linux/Ubuntu, you can click the picture below to see our easy guide.

• Apple macOS

VMware made a virtualization program called Fusion for Apple Mac computers. So, there is no Workstation program for Mac. To install it on your Mac, click the image below and read our related article.

Frequently Asked Questions About VMware Workstation (FAQ)

Conclusion

In conclusion, VMware Workstation is helpful for both regular users and IT experts. Also, I know it is a strong and flexible tool. This way, we can do more by running many operating systems on one computer.

Developers keep making VMware Workstation better for working with changing systems. They give us the chance to try out and create with strong hardware support.

In the fast-changing world of technology, VMware software is still a trusted choice. If you want to explore or test different operating systems, I suggest you try it now!