6.0.1

Table Of Contents
VMCI and VMCI Sockets
drivers
The Virtual Machine Communication Interface driver allows fast and
efficient communication between virtual machines and the hosts they run on.
Developers can write client-server applications to the VMCI Sock (vsock)
interface to make use of the VMCI virtual device.
VMware drivers for
Linux
The drivers for Linux are automatically installed during your operating
system installation, eliminating the need to separately install drivers after OS
installation. VMware actively maintains the source code for VMware
paravirtual drivers and kernel modules, and any Linux distributions creating
new OS releases will automatically include the latest VMware drivers.
VMware does not recommend deleting or replacing existing inbox drivers
for Linux that are distributed by your OS vendors. Deleting or replacing
these drivers could cause conflict with future updates to the drivers. Contact
your OS vendor or OS community for availability of specific updates to
drivers.
See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2073804 for information about availability,
maintenance, and support policy for inbox drivers for Linux.
VMware User Process
With the VMware user process, you can use such features as copy and paste, drag and drop with VMware
products that support these features.
In Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD guest operating systems, VMware Tools uses the VMware User process
executable file that implements fit-guest-to-window and Unity mode features.
The user process process starts automatically when you log in to a Windows guest operating system or, on
Linux, when you start a Desktop Environment session, but you can also start it manually.
The program file for this process is called vmtoolsd.exe on Windows guest operating systems and vmusr on
Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD guest operating systems. This process supports the following tasks:
n
Allows you to copy and paste text between guest operating system and the vSphere Web Client or the
Workstation, Fusion, or Player host operating system. For virtual machines that are used with
Workstation or Fusion, you can copy and paste files between the host operating system and Windows,
Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD guest operating systems.
n
Allows you to copy and paste text between guest operating system and the vSphere Web Client.
n
On Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD guest operating systems, grabs and releases the pointer when the SVGA
driver is not installed.
n
On Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD guest operating systems, fits the screen display resolution of the guest
to the screen resolution of the vSphere Web Client or the Workstation, Fusion, or Player host operating
system, if running in full screen mode. If running in windowed mode, fits the screen resolution of the
guest to the size of the window on the client or host.
n
On Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD guest operating systems, fits the screen display resolution of the guest
to the screen resolution of the vSphere Web Client, if running in full screen mode. If running in
windowed mode, fits the screen resolution of the guest to the size of the window on the client or host.
n
For virtual machines used with Workstation or Fusion, allows you to drag files between the host
operating system and Windows, Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD guest operating systems.
n
For VMware products that support the Unity feature, allows you to open an application window in a
Windows or Linux guest operating system, enter Unity mode, and have that window appear on your
Workstation, Fusion, or Player host desktop like any other host application window.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
206 VMware, Inc.