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VMware Workstation 6.5 Gives Technical Professionals Richer Multimedia Support, Improved Security and Revolutionary Debugging Tools

VMware Workstation 6.5 Gives Technical Professionals Richer Multimedia Support, Improved Security and Revolutionary Debugging Tools

Major Update to Award-Winning Desktop Virtualization Product for Windows and Linux Gives Users Seamless Desktop Integration with Unity, DirectX 9.0c Shader Model 2 3D Graphics and Groundbreaking Debugging with Virtual Machine (VM) Record Replay

PALO ALTO, Calif., September 29, 2008– VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter, today announced the general availability of VMware Workstation 6.5, further raising the bar as the leading virtualization product for professionals who develop, test, deploy and support software.  VMware Workstation, the most award-winning desktop virtualization product, has revolutionary new features, including the ability to seamlessly toggle between windows on different virtual machines, support for Direct X 3D graphics and groundbreaking debugging tools with Virtual Machine (VM) Record Replay.

Introduced more than nine years ago, VMware Workstation accelerates software development and testing, provides rapid provisioning and resetting of multi-tier environments, enables pre-production testing of new desktop and server applications in secure, easy to manage virtual machines and allows users to run any application on their preferred operating system.

“VMware Workstation 6.5 lets users do things they would never be able to do without it, like debugging complex multi-tier applications while running productivity applications all on a single computer,” said Jeff Jennings, vice president of desktop products and solutions, at VMware. “With the enhancements in VMware Workstation 6.5, we continue to raise the bar for desktop virtualization by giving technical professionals a simpler, richer and more secure user experience that’s also mobile with new Pocket ACE support. Workstation is a must-have product and the only choice for serious technical desktop virtualization users.”

With the industry’s most advanced and proven feature set as well as broadest support for x86 operating systems including Windows, Linux, NetWare, Solaris x86 and FreeBSD, VMware Workstation continues to be the “gold standard” virtualization product for technical professionals.

New features in VMware Workstation 6.5 include:

  • Seamless desktop experience with “Unity” — Run applications in virtual machines alongside applications on your normal desktop. The desktop of the virtual machine disappears and applications appear as a normal window in the rest of their environment. Color coding of Unity application windows makes it easy to run multiple versions of the same application across different virtual machines.
  • Support for DirectX 3D graphics — VMware Workstation was the first desktop virtualization product to support 3D graphics and VMware Workstation 6.5 takes it to the next level with support for DirectX 9.0c with Shader Model 2 3D graphics.
  • Simplify creating Windows and Linux virtual machines with Easy Install – VMware Workstation 6.5 enables users to save time and simplify Windows and Linux guest operating system installation. Just answer a few simple questions and the Easy Install feature will perform an unattended installation of the guest operating system and VMware Tools in a single step.
  • VM record and replay for groundbreaking debugging — VMware Workstation 6.5 lets users record a VM’s entire programmatic execution—every CPU instructions, every memory page, and every disk write—over time and then replay the recording to reproduce the exact behavior and state of the virtual machine to help analyze and debug hard-to-reproduce software defects until they are fixed.
  • Create ACE encrypted virtual machines — VMware Workstation 6.5 users now benefit from the included ACE authoring capabilities.  Encrypt important virtual machines and run them with the included VMware Player for improved data security, or create personal Pocket ACE virtual machines to take virtual desktop environments on the road with a USB thumb-drive. 

Pricing and Availability
VMware Workstation 6.5 is now available as a free, downloadable update for all VMware Workstation 6 customers from: www.vmware.com/products/ws/.

VMware Workstation 6.5 for both Windows and Linux host operating systems has a list price of $189 and is now available for electronic download at www.vmware.com/products/ws/. The product can also be purchased through VMware’s network of resellers and distributors.

About VMware
VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter.  Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.3 billion, more than 120,000 customers and nearly 18,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest growing public software companies. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is majority-owned by EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) and on the web at www.vmware.com.

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