Creating images for Vmware View and Citrix XenDesktop

Zaits

Hello Everyone,

I have a project coming up to evaluate VMware View vs Citrix XenDesktop and without going into to much detail we have some software we wish to test on 4 different operating systems (Windows xp, Windows 7, Server 2003 and Server 2008 ).

So here is my question...

When I start to evaluate VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop I don't want to waste precious time installing each OS and all the software needed to go with each OS. I was wondering if there is a way I can create an image/ iso whatever before hand that I can import into both VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop? I want to reduce the time needed to setup my virtual lab so we can focus our time more on benchmarking.

I know VMware can import an image of a live workstation, but I don't have 4 physical machines lying around to configure each OS on.

So does anyone have any advice how I might be able to pre configure these operating systems so I can import them into VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop?

Thanks!!

Hyper-Me

Make an image, sysprep it, copy the VHD/VMKD/etc

RTmarc

I think both VMware and Xen have the capabilities of importing a Windows VHD. If so, create the VMs in a Windows Virtual PC/Server environment and then import them.

brad-

Here are some preconfigured VHD's available for download from MS if that helps.

Run IT on a Virtual Hard Disk

HeroPsycho

Zaits wrote: »

Hello Everyone,

I have a project coming up to evaluate VMware View vs Citrix XenDesktop and without going into to much detail we have some software we wish to test on 4 different operating systems (Windows xp, Windows 7, Server 2003 and Server 2008 ).

So here is my question...

When I start to evaluate VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop I don't want to waste precious time installing each OS and all the software needed to go with each OS. I was wondering if there is a way I can create an image/ iso whatever before hand that I can import into both VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop? I want to reduce the time needed to setup my virtual lab so we can focus our time more on benchmarking.

I know VMware can import an image of a live workstation, but I don't have 4 physical machines lying around to configure each OS on.

So does anyone have any advice how I might be able to pre configure these operating systems so I can import them into VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop?

Thanks!!

Use a V2V utility. Done.

See which utility can move between what.

Checkout:

VMware Converter (free)
Vizioncore (has a free one now)
Backup Exec System Recovery
Acronis

Zaits

RTmarc wrote: »

I think both VMware and Xen have the capabilities of importing a Windows VHD. If so, create the VMs in a Windows Virtual PC/Server environment and then import them.

This was the idea I had in mind, but I wasn't sure if this was compatible with both VMware View and XenDesktop. I remember while back I created multiple VM's using VMware Workstation and had my images saved on a portable hard drive. Some time had past and I moved onto a new company and wanted to load my VM's into VMware server, but it didn't like it and told me it had to be from the same software / version.

Zaits

HeroPsycho wrote: »

Use a V2V utility. Done.

See which utility can move between what.

Checkout:

VMware Converter (free)
Vizioncore (has a free one now)
Backup Exec System Recovery
Acronis

Perfect I'll check those out thanks for the advice.