[EN] [SOLVED] Virtualization -- Which VM Software?

[KrunchTime]

I read the following about VM software in the May 2015 (197) issue of Linux Format:

VMware and Virtualbox both rely on kernel-specific modules being loaded in order to work their magic.

-- Desktop Virtualisation Roundup, pg 25

[dibl]

VMware and Virtualbox both rely on kernel-specific modules being loaded in order to work their magic.

Correct.  In the case of VMware, the utility that builds the modules for the running kernel is, IMHO, a brittle and fragile piece of code that often falls behind the development of the Linux kernel, resulting in failures to build the modules correctly. Often skilled users have built and shared patches to overcome the deficiencies.  But twice in the past 7 years it has been so badly broken that it can't be fixed with a patch, leaving users with a choice to either run their VMs on an older Linux platform or find some other virtualization package.  I'm glad I went through some pain to switch to KVM -- it seems quite solid.

[KrunchTime]

But twice in the past 7 years it has been so badly broken that it can't be fixed with a patch, leaving users with a choice to either run their VMs on an older Linux platform or find some other virtualization package.  I'm glad I went through some pain to switch to KVM -- it seems quite solid.

Hmmm...was that mostly an issue on Debian Testing or Unstable?

[dibl]

Hmmm...was that mostly an issue on Debian Testing or Unstable?

It was an issue on all newer Linux kernels, regardless of the distribution.  For me it was Debian unstable, but it happened to Fedora, Arch, OpenSUSE, and any other users who installed new kernels too.  I have the impression that VMware's development resources are prioritized in such a way that the screaming from the Linux user community has to reach a certain decibel level before they will put some resources on updating their module compiler for the next structural change in the Linux kernel.

Typical problems: here, here, and here.