6.0.1

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For information about installing or upgrading VMware Tools in FreeBSD virtual machines, see
“Manually Install or Upgrade VMware Tools in a FreeBSD Virtual Machine,” on page 243.
Using Open Virtual Machine Tools
Open Virtual Machine Tools is the open source implementation of the open-vm-tools suite, which includes
virtualization utilities to improve the function and management of virtual machines on VMware
hypervisors.
The open-vm-tools suite is bundled with Linux operating systems and is installed as a part of the OS
installation, eliminating the need to separately install the suite on guest OSs. All leading Linux vendors
support the open-vm-tools suite on vSphere, Workstation, and Fusion, and bundle them with their product
releases, which VMware must certify before you can use them safely. For information about OS
compatibility check for the open-vm-tools suite, see the VMware Compatibility Guide at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.
Bundling open-vm-tools with Linux OS releases reduces virtual machine downtime because all updates to
the open-vm-tools suite and the VMware drivers are included with the OS maintenance patches and
updates. You do not have to maintain separate maintenance cycles for open-vm-tools suite updates.
In a few cases, the integration of the open-vm-tools suite with OS releases might slightly vary when the suite
is bundled with OSs on installation CDs or DVDs and is installed by default when you install your guest
operating systems. In other cases, the open-vm-tools suite is not installed by default, unless specifically
selected during installation.
Use the OS package manager for installing OSs from open source communities. Follow the installation
instructions provided by your OS vendor for your specific release or check the partner Web site at
http://partnerweb.vmware.com/GOSIG/home.html.
VMware fully supports Open VM Tools that are developed in collaboration with OS vendors and open
source communities and does not recommend removing open-vm-tools that are redistributed by your OS
vendors.
NOTE If you use open-vm-tools or OS specific package (OSP) for packaging and distribution of VMware
Tools, the VMware Tools status displays as Guest Managed on the virtual machine Summary tab. The status
Guest Managed means that you cannot use the vCenter Server for managing OSP and Open VM Tools
software updates. Instead, manage the installation and update for Open VM Tools and OSP from within
each guest operating system and expect to get updates on Open VM Tools in synch with the guest OS and
virtual appliances updates and patches.
Open VM Tools Packages
For better managing guest operating systems, the open-vm-tools suite includes the following packages:
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The core open-vm-tools package contains the core open-vm-tools user space utilities, application
programs, and libraries, including vmtoolsd to help effectively manage communication between your
host and guest OSs. This package includes features as, synchronizing guest OS clocks with the
virtualization platform, transferring files between hosts and guests, sending heartbeat information from
guest OSs to the virtualization infrastructure to support vSphere High Availability (HA), publishing
resource utilization and networking information of the guest OSs to the virtualization platform, and so
on.
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The open-vm-tools-desktop package is optional and includes additional user space programs and
libraries to improve the interactive functionality of desktop operations of your virtual machines. The
package enables you to resize a guest display to match with its host console window or the VMware
Remote Console Window for vSphere. The package also allows you to copy and paste between host and
guest OSs as well as to drag and drop between guests and a host for the VMware Workstation and
VMware Fusion products.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
228 VMware, Inc.