anyone tried VMware or similar for multi-boxing?

[AlfaStation]

Just curious, has anyone tried VMware or similar "Virtual Machine" server-software for multi-boxing?
(i.e. simultanous running multiple instances of Windows or Linux on 1 machine)
I can think of several advantages, but having no experience at all with this, is it even worth trying?

[Xzin]

VMWare does not (yet) support DX9.

It is possible to run multiple WoWs through WINE... but still..... thats not really an emulated OS/VM.

[caldvn]

The question would be...why....

Althought I am tempted to try Softgrid for WoW.

[Xzin]

"Softgrid is what I like to call the next paradigm shift in virtualization.

First we had Server and computer virtualization. This helped consolidate resources by allowing administrators to increase the density of servers per rack, and decrease the complexity of managing hundreds of servers.

The next wave of virtualization is happening at the application level. SoftGrid allows you to create a virtual environment that encapsulates the application. These environments are known along with a Softgrid enabled application as a Softgrid SystemGuard."

Sounds kinda like InnerSpace......


"Microsoft SoftGrid application virtualization platform allows applications to be deployed in real-time to any client from a virtual application server. It removes the need for local installation of the applications. Instead, only the SoftGrid runtime needs to be installed on the client machines. All application data is permanently stored on the virtual application server. Whichever software is needed is streamed from the application server on demand and run locally. The SoftGrid stack sandboxes the execution environment so that the application does not make changes to the client itself. Softgrid applications are also sandboxed from each other, so that different versions of the same application can be run under softgrid concurrently. This approach enables any application to be streamed without making any changes to its code.

SoftGrid thus allows centralized installation and management of deployed applications. It supports policy based access control; administrators can define and restrict access to the applications by certain users by defining policies governing the usage. Softgrid can require that applications not be run 'cached' from workstations, or require that 'cached' softgrid applications routinely update license information from the Softgrid server, enforcing license compliance. These policies are centrally applied on the application repository. SoftGrid also allows replication of the applications across multiple application servers for better scalability and fault tolerance, and also features a tracking interface to track the usage of the virtualized application.

The SoftGrid client runtime presents the user with a list of applications, to which the user has access to. The user can then launch a virtualized streamed instance of the application. Depending on the configuration, the systems administrator can be either notified of the action via email or it can require an explicit confirmation from the administator for the application to start streaming and initialize or it can just simply check the active directory for the user's rights and stream the application to the user if she is authorized to run the application. The SoftGrid client can also install local shortcuts that bootstrap the process of launching individual virtualized software instances."

[caldvn]

Pretty neet software, I'm running full testing at where I work at. Finished most of the testing, did demonstration now waiting to see if we'll implement here. Cost is very low per client.

Only other testing I want to do is through web. How effective it is at pushing appliations through the web. Also once the app has been pushed out to pc, even if they lose connection, the app will continue to run.

[AlfaStation]

The question would be...why....


Well, for example (i'm making this up as i go along ... :) )
each virtual OS could run 1 session of Wow in fullscreen as an "active" window, making it (in theory) possible to

(1) use 2 different sized screens with different resolutions and eliminate need to "stretch" your screens horizontally.

(2) use only multiboxing to broadcast keys/mouse across and eliminate need for other hard- or software, since each virtual OS has an IP and an active wow running.

Of course, if you can't run DX9, it's a no-go.


Softgrid sounds nice, but from the description Xzin gave i'd doubt it would work with Wow. -->
It removes the need for local installation of the applications.
Where would changes go, macro's/keybinds/addons like Bongos..., made on different clients ?

Pardon me if I completely miss the point. I never tried any sort of VM software and have no idea what i'm talking about. :)