Possible? Mac Pro + OS X Server (or Snow Leopard) + VMWare Fusion = Remote Access

[yasko]

Hello,

I am totally new to Apple (other than iPhone and iPod) and I'm looking for a solution to the following problems:

1) Windows Software Development
2) iPhone Development
3) Keep Wife(tm) happy

I'm looking at a Mac Pro, 12+GB RAM, running either OS X Server or Snow Leopard and VMWare Fusion. The VMs hosted therein will run Vista, XP, Windows 7, OS X, probably some flavors of Linux. I need to know how will the client machines (currently Vista and XP laptops) will connect to the VMs running on the server, and what other software I need to do so.

Does VMWare Fusion support RDP or VNC or what? Is that connection functionality a function of Fusion or the host OS (OS X Server or Snow Leopard)? If I buy the Mac Pro with OS X, can I reimage it with OS X Server and transfer the client OS license to one of the VMs or do I need to buy a separate OS X license? Am I missing anything?

What else do I need to know in order to make an informed decision?

Thanks in advance,

Yasko

 

[RandomKamikaze]

VMWare Fusion is virtualisation software that will install on to OS X.

Firstly OS X Client (non-server) isn't allowed to be virtualised according to the EULA.

With VMWare networking, you can set the virtual adaptors to be 'bridged' which means the hosts will get their addresses straight from the DHCP server and essentailly look like realy physical computers on the LAN. You can then use whatever remote control product you like with the OS.

The laptops will connect to the virtual machines using the LAN and then IP or HOSTNAME.

There is nothing fancy about virtualisation, it just allows you to have virtual computers, but make them look real to any other LAN users.

 

[belvdr]

You can also use NAT connections, so that:

1. The VMs are not visible to the real network segment.
2. The host system can access the VMs.
3. The VMs have access to the Internet.

It keeps the VMs private so that there are no worries of threats to the systems.