There's only so much you can do by multitasking applications. Frequently, you just need another computer for testing software, trying out network configurations, or doing any of a dozen things that engineers and administrators need to do. VMware allows you to run several virtual machines on one physical computer, each completely independent of the others at all levels and each potentially running a different operating system. The Book of VMware provides full documentation on running both versions of this tremendously useful utility--Windows and Linux--and goes into great detail on how it goes about dividing the resources of a single physical box. If you want to know how the Linux version of VMware manages the file systems of a Windows guest operating system, or how USB devices are shared across multiple virtual machines, this book is the single best resource for you.

Brian Ward's prose style is pretty dry; you won't read this one from front to back, and it's unlikely you'll even read a chapter straight through unless you're encountering a problem and want to know everything potentially related to it. More likely, you'll use the index to locate Ward's coverage of FreeBSD disk-lettering schemes (or whatever) and read the several pages of text and illustrations he devotes to the matter. This is a specialized reference book, and a very good one. --David Wall

Topics covered: All aspects of VMware 3.0 Workstation (from VMware Corporation) for both the Windows and Linux versions of the software. Coverage of the two variants is approximately equal. In addition to explaining how to install both kinds of VMware, the author shows how guest systems behave--in terms of disk usage, driver compatibility, device sharing, networking, and all other major systems--in both environments. There's great coverage of FreeBSD as a guest system.

"A great introduction to VMware Workstation. . . ." -- Edouard Bugnion, Co-founder and Chief architect at VMware, Inc.

Everything you need to know about VMware Workstation, from guest systems to network configuration.

VMware software lets users run multiple operating systems (and their applications) simultaneously on one computer. Technically reviewed and developed in cooperation with VMware, Inc., The Book of VMware is a comprehensive guide to installing and running VMware. It includes sections on device emulation; configuring guest operating systems; networking; and troubleshooting.

About the Author

Brian Ward is the author of the Linux Kernel HOWTO, various UNIX systems and user programs, and "The Linux Problem Solver" (No Starch Press, 2000).