3.1

What Is VMware Player? 1

VMware Player is a desktop application that lets you create, configure, and run virtual machines.

With VMware Player you can use the following features:

Create virtual machines that can run on a Windows or Linux PC.

Run virtual machines, making it easy to take advantage of the security, flexibility, and portability of virtual

machines.

Access all of the host machine hardware devices, such as USB drives, from the virtual machine.

The terms host and guest describe physical and virtual machines:

Host

The physical computer on which you install the VMware Player software is

called the host machine, and its operating system is called the host operating

system.

Guest

The operating system running inside a virtual machine is called a guest

operating system. The virtual machine is called the guest.

VMware Player provides an intuitive user interface for creating virtual machines or running preconfigured

virtual machines created with VMware Workstation, ESX Server, VMware Server, VMware Fusion, and GSX

Server. On Windows host machines, you can use VMware Player to open and run Microsoft Virtual PC and

Microsoft Virtual Server virtual machines, and Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery, formerly LiveState

Recovery, system images. VMware Player also lets you download virtual appliances and access Open

Virtualization Format (OVF) and Open Virtual Appliance (OVA) files. For information about VMware Player

see the compatible virtual machines and system images topic.

VMware Player makes VMware virtual machines accessible to colleagues, partners, customers, and clients,

regardless of whether they have purchased VMware products. Anyone who downloads VMware Player can

open and run compatible virtual machines.

NOTE Use of VMware Player is subject to the VMware Player end-user license terms. VMware provides no

support for VMware Player. You can download VMware Player from the VMware Web site.

You can also download virtual appliances to use with VMware Player from the Virtual Appliance Marketplace

from the VMware Web site.

For self-help resources, see the VMware Player FAQ under the VMware Player section of the VMware Web

site. You can also participate in the VMware Player Communities forum under the Support & Downloads

section of the VMware Web site. The forum enables members to exchange information, questions, and

comments regarding VMware products, services, and product support issues.

VMware, Inc.