Battle [Community Battle] #1 - Oracle Virtualbox vs Vmware Workstation

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sk3llgamerZDay

Level 2
Thread author
Verified
Jan 15, 2014
94
Hi all. I am asking a community question on which virtual machine software do you use?
I don't know which one to choose and I need your help! The contestants are:


-Oracle Virtualbox
-Vmware Workstation 10

Cast your votes today and I will see the result by next Sunday!
 
I

illumination

Vmware cost money, Virtualbox is free. Vmware is feature rich, where Virtualbox is lacking in features.
Virtualbox supports a wide variety of virtual-disks formats, which provides a broader range of virtual machine types then VMware.

Many other items between both are similar, although they can be limited in one or the other in functionality.

Bottom line, if you plan to just test products/malware, you would be better off not spending money for VMware.
 

jamescv7

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Mar 15, 2011
13,070
From your fresh start, go to Virtualbox cause its free, just be aware on some certain issues happened when encounter like internet connection issues, frequent crashes on OS VM and many more however if everything works fine then its good to go.

VMware Workstation is the complete type software however you need to purchase the license which perhaps may have problem on your budget. ;)
 
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darko999

Level 17
Verified
Well-known
Oct 2, 2014
805
Sometimes it depends on your system specifications. On mine Virtualbox does a better job than Vmware, on my older computer is the other way around. But If I have to pick one I'll go for Virtualbox, great features and performance, FREE.
 

ahmad123

Level 4
Verified
Aug 31, 2014
171
Thanks to a handy technology called virtualization, running multiple operating systems and applications on a single host machine is now the norm in IT environments of all sizes. VMware has been the undisputed king of this space for quite some time, but numerous competitors have emerged to challenge its comfy position upon that throne. One of those competitors is IT software giant Oracle, who jumped into the virtual computing game in 2007 with the aptly named VirtualBox. Ladies and Gentleman, for one night one, VMware vs. VirtualBox.

If you pose the question of “which is better?”, “which should I go with”, or anything similar to knowledgeable IT people, most will say that it’s VMware hands down. Ask them to elaborate and they’ll likely tell you that VMware is the ultimate solution for server virtualization, while VirtualBox is best suited for virtualizing desktop environments. This may be true in a general sense, but the battle gets far more competitive when comparing Oracle’s VirtualBox to something more similar like VMware Player.

Cost and Licenses

VirtualBox and VMware Player are easily two of the most cost effective options on the market of x86 processor virtualization software. Oracle makes its solution available under version two of the General Public License (GPL), an open-source license that allows it to be freely distributed and modified at the source code to accommodate individual needs in functionality. VMware Player, on the other hand, is only freely available for non-commercial usage.

While both applications are free, both can be upgraded to premium packages as well. For instance, VMware Player gets a functional boost when purchasing a commercial license of VMware Fusion Professional, which runs on Mac OS X as well as Microsoft Windows, Linux and other Unix-like systems. VirtualBox can also be upgraded by purchasing commercial licenses directly from Oracle, which gets you enterprise-level features and support for mission-critical usage. When factoring in the dual-licensing component, I think it’s safe to say we have a stalemate here.

What to Like

VMware touts its Player software as the most efficient way to run Windows XP in newer systems like Windows 7 and Windows 8. With a solid slab of up-to-date hardware, you can enjoy your legacy apps like XP never went out of style. Additionally, VMware Player provides an ideal environment for effectively testing new apps right on your desktop, essentially eliminating the need to purchase or lease a server for the same purpose. It also supports restricted virtual machines, which is useful when you want to prevent unauthorized IT personnel from tampering with configuration settings.

VirtualBox’s greatest asset may be its portability. One of its more useful traits is the ability to create a fleet of virtual machines in one host environment and run them in another. For example, an administrator who appreciates the user-friendliness of Microsoft products can set up their VMs in Windows, and then run them in Linux where they are likely to enjoy better performance. Its portability is further enhanced by cross-platform capabilities that allow it to function seamlessly on Windows, Mac OS X, Solaris, and various Linux distributions.

Platform Reliability

The biggest distinction between these two products no doubt rests at the hypervisor level. Type 2 hypervisors like VirtualBox run on a host operating system that delivers all the essential services, which is ideal if you want to use it on your existing desktop or server right out of the box. Type 1 or bare metal hypervisors like VMware Player, run directly on the hardware itself and provide all the services you need within the software package. When virtualization rose to prominence years ago, type 2 hypervisors were all the rage, but now it is widely believed that the type 1 variety is more efficient in terms of performance, security, and availability.

Even with the enterprise functionality and extra support, Oracle’s open-source product is going to have a difficult time competing with VMware allstars the likes ESX, Sphere, and Workstation. In the case of VirtualBox against the more proportionate VMware Player, the playing field is about as level as it’s going to get between these two brands. In the end, I think most IT experts will agree that both are excellent options for those who either have modest needs, or are just getting started with virtualization.
 
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milas

Level 2
Verified
Mar 1, 2016
50
VMware for me. I have Workstation 10 because of an old laptop running where as VMware 12 Workstation isn't compatible with my systemo_O

Sorry had to edit this...
 
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I

illumination

It greatly depends on what my Host operating system is. With most Linux distro's I would chose Virtualbox as it just performs better on Linux and with running Linux distro's. On windows operations systems and with running windows as a guest I prefer VMware Workstation for the same reason. As of now, I am on Windows 10 running VMware Workstation 12.
 

Rishi

Level 19
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Well-known
Dec 3, 2015
938
It greatly depends on what my Host operating system is. With most Linux distro's I would chose Virtualbox as it just performs better on Linux and with running Linux distro's. On windows operations systems and with running windows as a guest I prefer VMware Workstation for the same reason. As of now, I am on Windows 10 running VMware Workstation 12.
I cannot help but quote this : Post A gem :D
 
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