There was a time when Apple was thought to be the most valuable brand name in the world, and for good reason. Apple helped shaped the software industry through years of cut-throat and highly competitive competition with Microsoft.
Most recently, Apple's greatest success revolves around the iPhone, but their Mac computer lines have gathered masses of devout and zealous followers who think Mac OSX is superior to Windows.
And in many rights, Mac OSX is higher quality than Windows software. Most of the coding is proprietary, and the software performs better than Windows in several key areas. It's more secure, it crashes less, and it even looks sleeker. What's not to love? Well, there is one problem that could be seen as the Achilles' Heel of Mac systems: software availability.
Download VMware Fusion 11 Pro, Geometric CAMWorks 2014 Update, Corel Painter 2020 Trial, GraphiSoft ArchiCAD 18 Tutorials. 5% Off Entire Order. Build, Test and Demo your next big thing with VMware Fusion Pro. Designed for power users, developers and IT admins, Fusion Pro is the simply powerful desktop hypervisor for the modern technology professional looking to use local or remote. Your VMware Fusion 11 license entitles you to 18 months of complimentary email support from the date of product registration. Telephone support is available by purchasing Per Incident Support (for all Fusion customers) or Basic Support (for Fusion 11 Pro customers only with a minimum quantity of 10) from the VMware Online Store.
[easyazon_image align='center' height='225″ identifier='B01F0G960I' locale='US' src='http://digitalguyde.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/317VdfPfiSL.jpg' tag='computersecurityhq-20″ width='213″]Since Microsoft Windows systems are much more numerous and prevalent than Mac systems, more software is written for Windows computers. There just aren't as many third-party applications written for Mac OSX. And if you've got a Mac computer, that means you could be missing out on the latest applications, security tools, and video games…unless you use virtualization technologies, of course.
It stinks when developers fail to port a great application over to the Mac world, but you can run virtual instances of code framework to virtualize a Windows system on your Mac.
Today we're going to be looking at two of the most popular solutions: VMWare Fusion and Parallels Desktop.
Before we begin, however, I do have one disclaimer to make. I am a huge fan of VMWare, and have been using their virtualization software for years.
Main Differences Between VMware Fusion vs Parallels
The main differences between VMWare Fusion and Parallels are:
- VMware Fusion offers deeper customization and integration features, whereas Parallels is easier to set up out of the box
- Parallels is slightly faster in our speed tests compared to the slower VMware Fusion
- Parallels is better suited for casual users, whereas VMware Fusion is best suited for technical users
Having said that, I will be as objective as possible to remove any bias. With that out of the way, let's take a closer look at these two cool virtualization solutions.
Parallel's Pricing
Parallel's pricing model is rather complex. The price you pay is determined by a variety of features including the following:
- Which version you want (Desktop 15 for Mac, Desktop 15 Pro for Mac, or Business Edition)
- Whether you want a new license or you want to upgrade an existing license
- Whether you want a 1-year subscription or a 1-time purchase
Though that may seem pretty contrived, I actually like how flexible it is for several reasons. First of all, you have a smattering of package options to choose from, so you can get exactly what you need without overpaying for extra features you don't want. In addition, users who have an existing license don't have to pay the entire cost of a new license when upgrading to a new plan.
The following outlines the pricing model for the Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac package:
1 Time Purchase
- 1 Computer, new license – $79.99
- 2 Computers, new license – $159.98
- 3 Computers, new license – $239.97
- 4 Computers, new license – $319.96
- 5 Computers, new license, 5 computers – $399.95
1 Year Subscription
- 1 Computer, new license, 1 computer – $69.99
- 2 Computers, new license, 2 computers – $139.98
- 3 Computers, new license, 3 computers – $209.97
- 4 Computers, new license, 4 computers – $279.96
- 5 Computers new license, 5 computers – $349.95
- Upgrade from 10 or 11, 12, etc – $49.99
The Pro and Business versions have similar pricing plans, though they are a bit more expensive. I would also like to draw your attention to the price difference between the one-time purchase and the one-year subscription.
You're really only saving about $10 per computer when you opt for the one-year subscription as opposed to the one-time purchase. As such, I'm not sure I see a lot of value in the subscription option, especially if you're only looking for a single license.
VMWare Fusion Pricing
Why not spend an extra $10 and own the software for life? VMWare Fusion uses an eerily similar pricing model based on mostly the same factors.
The largest difference is that VMWare doesn't offer a subscription model, and instead only charges for licenses of their software. And I think they're pretty price competitive, too. VMWare's pricing model for VMWare Fusion is as follows:
1 Time Purchase
- 1 Computer, new license – $79.99
- 2 Computers, new license – $159.98
- 3 Computers, new license – $239.97
- 4 Computers, new license – $319.96
- 5 Computers, new license, 5 computers – $399.95
- Upgrade from 4.5 and higher – $49.99
As you can see, the price to purchase either provider's virtualization software is exactly the same. I thought that was pretty odd since you usually see minute differences in two providers' prices as a way to undercut the competition.
So, I'll sum up the pricing war in two simple thoughts. First of all, don't get the subscription version of Parallels Desktop since it doesn't really save you that much money. Second of all, if you're going to purchase the software, the cost is exactly the same. At least for now…
Parallels Desktop 15 Features
Parallels Desktop has a lot of great features, though its main purpose is to run applications as though they are running in their native environment.
For instance, you can run Windows apps on a Mac without needing to reboot your computer or dual boot. The latest version does have support for Windows 10 and Mac OS Sierra, so you're covered with the latest and greatest operating systems.
Interestingly enough, Desktop 15 comes with 1 year of online backups, though the cap is at 500GB. Still, it's better than nothing if you're not already using a cloud backup service.
There are some limitations on the virtual machines, but I didn't think they were really encumbering. Virtual machines are limited to 8GB of virtual RAM and 4 virtual CPUs for each VM.
Popcorn time russian. Plus, it's worth taking a moment to talk about virtual machine creation.
To create a virtual Windows instance, you'll have to essentially 'copy' a Windows license. If you don't have one already, then you'll need to obtain a new Windows OS (legally), and then create a virtual machine of that installation in Parallels Desktop. Alternatively, you can create a virtual machine instance from a current installation, which is what I would recommend if the option is available to you.
That way, all of your software, settings, user accounts, and system files will be exactly the same. Doing so will allow you to essentially import all of your data into a virtual machine instance running on your Mac. And by using cloud storage (Dropbox Storage, iCloud Drive, etc…), file syncing and folder syncing (smart sync feature), or a shared local volume (on the local hard drive disk, and shared NAS partition, etc.), you'll easily be able to access data on both operating systems.
However, that's really all there is to the basic version. The Pro and Business versions have a lot more features, but they cost a lot more money, too. If you're just trying to run a few Windows applications on Mac, I'd recommend going for the basic version. Just so you know, advanced features in the Pro and Business versions include the following:
- Enhanced virtual hardware (64GB vRAM and 16 vCPUs)
- Support for Microsoft Visual Studio
- Advanced networking features
- Business cloud services support and premium 24/7 technical support
- Enhanced management interfaces for administrators in business environments
- Unified volume license key
Also, I'd like to mention that Parallels Desktop 15 doesn't only provide Windows support. It also supports a variety of Linux distributions including CentOS, Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian distributions.
It's also worth noting that a lot of traditional Mac users think the Parallels interface is more Mac friendly than the Fusion interface, which is little more streamlined and minimalistic.
VMWare Fusion 11 Features
Likewise, VMware Fusion 8 also has the ability run a smattering of Linux virtual machines in addition to versions of Windows.
And like Parallels Desktop 15, you can run Windows applications side by side applications running on Mac OSX. It is, of course, designed to support Windows 10 and OS Sierra.
However, instead of bundling cloud storage space in with Fusion, VMWare is currently offering a promotion that includes a McAfee Antivirus Plus 90-day subscription. I think that's awesome, because Mac users need antivirus as much as Windows users these days, and a lot of people forgo any antivirus protection at all.
In addition, after you have registered your license, you get 18 months of free email support in English. However, it's only email-based support, but I suppose it's better than nothing.
And as far as support is concerned, there are plenty of how-to videos that show you how to make common configurations and perform a little bit of troubleshooting to get your software tweaked, personalized, and configured just how you want it.
Additionally, other notable features include the following:
- Support for Windows Server 2016
- Tabbed views
- Support for Siri
- 0 users don't need to pay to upgrade to 11
- Many integrations, including Google Drive (Google Cloud), Dropbox for Business (via VMWare AirWatch
How Does VMWare Compare to Others?
Final Thoughts: VMWare Fusion vs Parallels
This comparison was very close since both VMWare and Parallels Desktop 15 are extremely similar. And since the pricing models are nearly identical, you can't use cost as a way to justify one solution's value over the other.
In the end, I think I have to go with VMWare Fusion over Parallels Desktop 15.
[easyazon_image align='center' height='313″ identifier='B01KICH63S' locale='US' src='http://digitalguyde.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/51sVSEowQ2BL.jpg' tag='computersecurityhq-20″ width='500″]Believe it or not, Fusion is the more popular solution over Parallels. Despite Mac users' affinity for the Parallels user interface, more people still opt for the VMWare solution. And many users feel that VMWare's upgrade policy is less convoluted than Parallel's (myself included), especially since 11 users don't have to pay for an upgrade.
Lastly, as always, I highly advise you to take advantage of the free trial if you're still undecided. VMWare has been a leader in the virtualization industry for years, and have a long history of providing stable and cutting-edge virtualization technologies with innovative features.
That said, if you're a born and bred Mac user, you may prefer Parallels since it has a sleeker and more Mac-like interface.
Bottom Line: The objectively 'better' solution is definitely the more transparently priced and larger VMWare Fusion solution here. However, if you are very attached to the Mac-like interface, Parallels can save you some frustration here, and is a good runner-up.
Further Reading: Bootcamp vs Parallels Compared and VMWare vs VirtualBox Compared.
tldr; Fusion Supports Containers! Download the bits below!
Today is a big day for us on the Desktop Hypervisor team. Our beloved products Fusion and Workstation are getting some pretty significant updates for no extra cost to existing users.
We have a lot to share about our commitments to Developers, to Community, and to Windows , so let's dive right in!
VMware has long served developers, as well as end users and IT professionals, with some of the best in class features with our award winning desktop hypervisor products, VMware Fusion and Workstation.
However, when it comes to developing and testing today's modern applications, things look a little different than the traditional ones which Fusion was originally designed to support.
Today, we're proud to express our commitment to today's modern developers by delivering new support for OCI containers using our award-winning hypervisor technology stack. Fusion 11.5 users can now pull, build, run and push containers as part of a modern development and testing workflow, without needing other tools such as docker desktop installed.
Enter vctl
To support these new workflows, we created a new CLI tool: vctl, and we're shipping it today as a part of our Fusion 11.5.5 update.
vctl: 'vee-kettle' or 'vee-control'? The debate continues…
vctl is designed to locally manage containers and our containerd based runtime. We use vctl to pull and run images from remote container repositories like Harbor or Docker Hub, or to build custom container images using standard Dockerfiles.
Some folks may recall that we first introduced vctl as part of Project Nautilus during our Tech Preview a few months back. Since then, we've listened to the community, made some changes, added some new capabilities, and are ready to bring it to the world as part of a free update to your existing copy of Fusion 11.5 or Fusion 11.5 Pro. (yes, both!)
For starters, there's a new syntax. If you're familiar with docker, you'll feel right at home. So things like ‘vctl run nginx' works the same as ‘docker run nginx'.
Vmware Fusion Pro 11 5 15 17
We think users will also be happy to hear that we've also added build
support, so you can build images from standard Dockerfiles.
Let's take a quick look at how we can get started with vctl!
A familiar workflow
With the vctl cli experience we wanted to focus on some of the most common tasks users perform with containers, and bring that to our unique container engine to bring folks something radically new.
Pulling images is familiar, and defaults to docker hub for simplicity, but you can specify a full path to another repo or registry.
Vmware Fusion Pro 11 5 15 Inch
To run an image, it should once again feel familiar:
Same goes for showing the container inventory:
It's fairly light on resources, and you also have the control to assign more or less resources to the appliance when firing up the container using -c and -m (CPU and Memory) flags. Run vctl run
with no arguments to see some examples.
Fusion is fairly light on resources consumption for the container appliance
When a container is fired up, we also mount the rootfs up to Host, meaning you can use Finder to browse the container contents! Pro disk cleaner 1 64. You could open up the running code of your app, make changes in real-time, in a way that feels just like editing any other file on your Mac.
When you start vctl, you'll see the ‘Fusion Container Storage' mount… each container also gets mounted as they're started, and unmounted when they stop
Folders and Files from the Linux filesystem in the vanilla nginx container image. You could edit this file directly in Visual Studio Code on the Mac for example.
Let's check out some of the details:
Using the describe
command on a running container, we can see more detail, as well as the execvm
commands that we can copy and paste to ‘shell' into our appliance OS or run some process (/bin/ls
in the example above…). (This of course is in addition to being able to vctl exec
into the container process itself…)
Vmware Fusion 11.5 Pro Download
Getting Started
Getting started is as easy as updating to Fusion 11.5.5, opening up your favorite Terminal app, and running vctl system start
.
Once the daemon is running, you can try pulling or building and running container images!
We have a good deal of documentation and examples located on our GitHub page, as well as our normal documentation centers.
If you hit a bug with your container or dockerfile, let us know so we can support it by filing an issue!
Which leads us to our next commitment: Community.
Releasing great software is fun, but what's also exciting is the community around it.
VMware has a long standing and well-established community, but it tends to be centered around the 'VI Admin' through VMware Technology Network, our community forum, and we welcome users to share their experiences with us there.
However, when it comes to the more development related discussions, the VMTN community forum might not always have the right experts readily available.
So we've expanded in a few new ways:
- New Slack channel
- Livestreams coming!
In collaboration with the VMware {code} team, we've created a new Slack channel: #fusion-workstation
, within the VMware {code} Slack community!
Joining VMware {code} is free, and once you've joined you'll get an email with a link to the main Slack channel.
The VMware Code community is full of folks that go beyond the typical duties of the VI Admin, and our Fusion and Workstation product and engineering teams will be directly participating to help answer tough questions. Editor: We'll probably share some memes too.
We will also be doing live and recorded events with both the VMware {code} team, community, and on our own in an effort to help folks get the most out of Fusion and Workstation. Follow our Fusion and Workstation Twitter accounts to get the latest details!
As mentioned earlier in this post, we also have our Github repository where we have example docs, how-to content as well as detailed descriptions of the vctl subcommands. We encourage users to let us know if they hit any snags with vctl by filing an issue so we can work to make sure every OCI container runs without a hitch!
And finally,
The days of 'you must disable Hyper-V to use Workstation' are over!
After years of collaborative development and engineering between VMware and Microsoft, we're proud to be delivering a compatibility story where Workstation 15.5.5 and newer can run on Windows 10 Hosts with Hyper-V mode enabled.
Hyper-V mode is required for security features like Device Guard and Credential Guard, as well as developer features like WSL, and previously rendered Workstation completely inoperable.
For more detail, check out our Workstation Blog
So that was a lot… Our commitment to Developers with a new container runtime for Mac and supporting WSL on Windows, to Community with many new ways to engage and a content calendar put together to help folks get the most from Fusion and Workstation, and to Windows with our multi-year collaborative effort to support Windows 10 Hyper-V mode with Workstation.