VMWare by Broadcom: call for speculation

Posted by Fear_The_Creeper@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 48 comments

Hoping for some advice or at least informed guesses from real sysadmins. Please be gentle. :) I use the free version of WMWare Workstation Player. A lot. It is easy to use and running a browser or a word processor in a seperate Win10 VM is super easy to back up, plus I get to mess around with virtual copies of Windows 3.11, Slackware, FreeDOS, etc. When I see things like this: [https://news.vmware.com/company/vmware-by-broadcom-business-simplification](https://news.vmware.com/company/vmware-by-broadcom-business-simplification) It does not bode well. It makes me think that maybe I should look for an open source alternative before Broadcom decides to fsck me over or fstab me in the heart. Does an easy to set up FOSS alternative exist? Which one should I try first? Realistically, are we free users doomed? Is any FOSS alternative as easy to set up and use? I don't mind completely setting up new VMs, so being able to run my existing VWare Workstation Player VMs isn't important to me. Has Broadcom given us any hint about the future of player? Speculation welcome! 

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48 Comments

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thatwolf89@reddit

If you are serious about VMware. Just buy the licence for VMware workstation. I did a few years ago and totally worth it. Otherwise use hyperv that's built into windows 10 pro and windows 11 pro.

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

>Just buy the licence for VMware workstation. They sell a Perpetual license for $150... [https://store-us.vmware.com/vmware-workstation-17-player-5709915300.html](https://store-us.vmware.com/vmware-workstation-17-player-5709915300.html) ...but I don't see how that addresses my concerns. Just look at the article I linked to at the top of the thread: "We’ve completed our transition from selling perpetual software to subscription licensing only ... subscription is the model all major enterprise software providers are on today. Subscription software is the right model for fueling continuous innovation for customers. ... We’re putting all our R&D investment towards fewer offerings, which is a double win for customers." I think it is pretty clear that Broadcom sees itself as a "major enterprise software provider", not a compoay selling a $150 VM solution to a small business or for personal use. I think that "fewer offerings" means "no more workstation player", and that I should bail now.

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thatwolf89@reddit

I feel really sad how Broadcom destroy VMware. The best platform on the market. I don't care what anyone says. It's made me good $$ for years and it's also save me $$ for years. Rock stable, good support, works great with veeam. Vsan was amazing and rock solid. Truth is everyone is trying to force the cloud down your throat. That's where these enterprise make the real money. VMware cloud was also very expensive even before broadcom and now they are basically pushing everyone that way from what I can see. Ps there also lots of cheap a$$ enterprise that were still in esxi 5 and refused to upgrade and that gave VMware a bad image when they got hacked because no patches, updates etc.

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snatch1e@reddit

Just run Hyper-V on your machine. I am using it for VMs, in case, I need to test smth or machine with another OS is required. You should be able easily convert your VM usingsmth like Starwinds v2v. [https://www.starwindsoftware.com/v2v-help/ConvertingtoVHDVHDX.html](https://www.starwindsoftware.com/v2v-help/ConvertingtoVHDVHDX.html)

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Ivanow@reddit

XCP-NG is about the closest equivalent.

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

>Seems like > >XCP-NG > > is exactly what you are looking for. I am running Windows as my main OS. Minecraft, for example, doesn't run on Linux, and runs super slow in a VMWare VM running Windows. It looks like XCP-NG would require that I switch to Linux. I was hoping for an Open Source VM that I can just use instead of VMWare on my existing Windows computer. My apologies for not making that clear.

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

UPDATE: This discussion has been super helpful. I really appreciate you all for sharing your expertise. I decided to start with Hyper-V, and if it doesn't meet my needs, try VirtualBox. I have been doing a bunch of studying on both, and found the following YouTube videos: The Death of HyperV [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytkxOSJ7TBk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytkxOSJ7TBk) (please note the first pinned comment) Hyper-V is NOT Dead [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlCOglvfQko](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlCOglvfQko) I found the second video to be more persuasive, but would welcome anyone with more expertise correcting me.

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iwasinnamuknow@reddit

> Minecraft, for example, doesn't run on Linux Yes it does, server and client.

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

My mistake. I forgot that there are people still using the Java edition. Minecraft BEDROCK edition doesn't run on Linux.

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iwasinnamuknow@reddit

No worries, I forget people play without mods :D

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Ivanow@reddit

Oh, sorry. I read VMware, and I assumed you were talking about ESXi. Equivalent to VMware player, would be Virtualbox (https://www.virtualbox.org/ ) - it's pretty much exactly the same, functionality-wise.

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NoSellDataPlz@reddit

You might be able to use Qemu.

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

It's pretty tough. Better wrap it with libvirtd and virt-manager

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JollyGreenLittleGuy@reddit

This is the way. I like to use it with the cockpit integration so you can access your consoles over the network. https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora-server/virtualization/vm-management-cockpit/

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

Oh yea. I forgot about cockpit. Yup, +1 that method

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

According to: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QEMU#Integration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QEMU#Integration) "VirtualBox... uses some of QEMU's virtual hardware devices, and has a built-in dynamic recompiler based on QEMU. As with KQEMU, VirtualBox runs nearly all guest code natively on the host via the VMM (Virtual Machine Manager) and uses the recompiler only as a fallback mechanism - for example, when guest code executes in real mode. In addition, VirtualBox did a lot of code analysis and patching using a built-in disassembler in order to minimize recompilation." So is there any advantage to running QEMU vs virtual box for someonme like me (simple use case; spin up a VM running Windows and a Browser or Word Processor)?

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

It's all about ease of use and getting stuff done. Direct qemu is unlike anything youve probably seen. Think 50 argument 500 character songle command.

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zeetree137@reddit

This isn't wrong but its also not that hard. Look up the options you need and save the command as a script. Learning curve sure but if you can use a terminal and read docs its fine

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

No need for that when libvirtd already abstracts it

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zeetree137@reddit

The GUIs have gotten pretty nice. Still need to play with proxmox

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

And the gui's abstract libvirtd fwiw

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ddaw735@reddit

Buy win 11 pro and use hyper v

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

I didn't even know that was an option. Thanks! I am already running Enterprise (which, according to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-V](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-V) has Hyper-V. So is Hyper-V a better choice than Virtual Box? The main thing I like about VMWare Worstation Player is that I can just copy a file to save a backup of the VM. Great for when you want to try a new program that may mess up youir PC. Can I do that with Hyper-V or Virtual Box?

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safalafal@reddit

Yep. Hit export if you just want a full, seperate file copy. You don't have to turn off the vm.

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desolateone@reddit

Using hyper-v would be good experience for down the line, it's something you'd work with in a proper enterprise environment instead of VirtualBox. You can backup a hyper-v VM by copying the VM's entire folder or copy a backup of the vhdx (virtual hard disk) file and just attach that to a new VM. From what it sounds like, you'd want to use something like [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/hyper-v-on-windows/user-guide/checkpoints](checkpoints) in hyper-v. No need to make a full backup when you can just roll right back to where you were. Great for testing and has saved my skin after unsuccessful upgrades, etc in the past.

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obizii@reddit

If you have any Oracle licensed products in production in your environment, DO NOT use Virtualbox. It may as well just be easiest to use Hyper-V on Windows instead of dealing with the hassle of getting the calls/emails from them.

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

No Oracle products. I am just an ordinary user (web/email/word processing/minecraft) Whe I read things like "Oracle Essbase, which continues the Hyperion Essbase tradition of multi-dimensional database management" The only thing I understand is "which", "the", "of", and "tell the boss that whatever he is paying the sysadmins he should double it". :)

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Never_Get_It_Right@reddit

First, I know this isn't exactly what you are looking for but [Kasm Workspaces](https://kasmweb.com/) is a really cool solution for anything that can be ran in a docker container. Including RDP to Windows VMs. You can link storage to persist data or have it destroy everything when you close your session. It is really customizable, and I have managed to use it to solve some unique needs.

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tc982@reddit

Realistically free users are fucked, but they don’t care (nor should they) as this is not a source of income. People don’t understand that VMware was already going bankrupt due to what Dell did to them. They were riddled with debt and siphoned over back to dell. With the takeover by Broadcom they have been given a lifeline, one nobody likes but the ship was already sinking. Even tough I do not like the way they do things, they are a symptom of misused system. They are risk takers, but also bloodsuckers. We will see how this will go, but expect that everything that was free, cheap or affordable to be scraped or made expensive.

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thatwolf89@reddit

Please provide more details on the Dell stuff please? I believed VMware was at it'sy best when it was owned by dell. I really want to understand this and learn. Please share more...cheers.

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tc982@reddit

There is this https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/11/dell-spins-off-64-billion-vmware-as-it-battles-debt-hangover/ where VMware paid billions in dividends to their shareholders, which 81% is owned by Dell. Dell who has been riddled by debt due to acquisition of EMC was part of a lot of rumors, one of this was that there even was a possibility that VMware would buy Dell. These constructions were rumoured into the markets, especially after Dell went off the public traded market.

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fitz2234@reddit

capitalism dot gif

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maduste@reddit

enshittification.zip

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xxdcmast@reddit

Fuckmeinthegoatass.tar.bz2

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Gawdsauce@reddit

Migrate to Proxmox like everyone else?

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snowprox85@reddit

Don’t install the easy to download extention pack. Otherwise Oracle comes knocking.

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

No they don't

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gingerbeard1775@reddit

Yes they do. They came at me three times and I work at a nonprofit.

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

Please share how many cores your orgs OracleDB was licensed for vs how many were turned on on the box? VirtualBox extensions was an Oh yea that too.

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snowprox85@reddit

They did with me

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

Are you a billion dollar corp using VirtualBox to develop a billion dollar product and Oracle smelled money?

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

I fear that both Broadcom and Oracle are willing to walk right over me while pusuing someone else who they think has money. I REALLY want to go all Open Source. I dumped Office and use Libre Office. I duped Edge and Chrome and am using Firefox. And I would dump Windows and use Linux if I didn't have to get rid of Minecraft (or run it on a bog-slow VM).

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

Nice

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Fear_The_Creeper@reddit (OP)

>Migrate to Virtual Box? That looks like it will do what I want. Is it easy to set up and use? Does anyone here think that there is something better I should try first? According to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirtualBox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirtualBox) "VirtualBox is free and open-source software, though the Extension Pack is proprietary software, free of charge only to personal users." Is the Extension Pack something I can do without?

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occasional_cynic@reddit

If you are not running a business the extension pack is free. Virtualbox is easy, reliable, and works pretty well. I have been using it for fifteen years or so. Somehow, someway, Oracle has not ruined it.

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H3rbert_K0rnfeld@reddit

And Vagrant

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Versed_Percepton@reddit

Windows Host? Just enable the HyperV role. If you are running a Linux Host, setup KVM with the Gui management tools (there are many, choose what fits your needs). But I would ditch VMware moving forward. You don't want to get sucked up in an audit at work.

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boostwtf@reddit

Slackware? Proper old school! I used hyperv on win10 the other day. I was shocked how easy it was to use. It's kinda simple and it installs loads of virtual nics which was quite annoying, at least 3ms added latency on the VMs too but fundamentally it worked and was next, next, finish easy.