VMware has revealed new editions of its VMware Fusion and Fusion Pro virtualization software, with version 10 bringing compatibility with newer operating systems, a boost to virtual machine graphical performance with Metal support, and the ability to use the Touch Bar in virtual machines.
The user interface for Fusion 10 has been given a facelift, with new virtual machine and "Migrate your PC" wizards improved with changes to both their appearance and functionality. Along with changes including the ability to copy IP and MAC addresses from the Virtual Machine Library window, Fusion 10 is claimed to include "seamless integration with Windows and Linux applications" for what the firm calls a "native Mac application experience."
Support for more modern operating systems has been added, including macOS 10.13 High Sierra and the fall updates for Windows 10 and Server 2016, as well as supporting the MacBook Touch Bar for accessing commonly-used controls. The platform support has also been extended to include Sphere platform features, such as UEFI, Virtual TPM, and virtual NVMe storage devices.
Said to be several years in the making, the addition of Metal support gives the VMware virtual GPU engine a performance boost, along with increasing the accuracy of rendering and improving power efficiency. This inclusion is said to benefit both games and GPU-dependent professional applications, like AutoCAD.
Fusion 10 Pro includes all the updates made to the standard edition, but adds considerably more features that is more useful for developers and IT professionals. Improved vSphere integration adds new controls for managing remote hosts for power operations, to remotely shut down or reboot the system, for example, along with support for the vCenter Server Appliance.
Support for Microsoft's virtualization based security features such as Credential Guard and Device Guard for Windows 10 Enterprise virtual machines, UEFI Secure Boot and a virtual Trusted Platform Module has been added to Fusion 10 Pro's existing security features.
The Swagger-based RESTful API lets developers and operations teams integrate Fusion 10 Pro into their development process, offering a remote services entry point with standard JSON communications. This will provide complete control of VM operations, including inventory management, power management, cloning, networking, and configuration.
The networking side has also received some major changes for professional users, including the ability to simulate packet loss, latency, and bandwidth limiting on both the outgoing and incoming virtual network interfaces on a per-virtual machine basis, allowing for application resilience testing without affecting other running virtual machines. It is also possible to configure Network Address Translation (NAT) rules for each virtual network, as well as making it easier to rename the networks.
Expected to arrive in October, VMware Fusion 10 and Fusion 10 Pro will cost $79 and $159 respectively. Fusion 8.5 customers will be able to upgrade to Fusion 10 Pro for $119, or to Fusion 10 for $49 through the company's online store, though customers who purchase Fusion 8.5 or Fusion 8.5 Pro between August 22 and November 1 will be able to upgrade to their respective newer versions at no extra cost.