On the Peoplesoft Road : VMWare

I already explained my new lab configuration, my Windows XP Pro SP2 will be my client machine.
In order for a Peoplesoft installation, I need a supported OS for Peoplesoft, so, I'll go for Oracle Entreprise Linux 4 update 6 (since Peoplesoft is not yet certified on OEL5). This will be my server.
So, instead of having two PC, a virtual machine seems the best way.
I'll install VMWare server, and since there is a version 2.0, I'll try that one, even if it's in beta version. The GUI is a web application. Installation is very easy, download, run the installer, and click next...
A new icon is added on the Quick Launch bar, click on it, you'll see the following ones :

At this step, you have to enter the username/password used for install the VMWare software. Note for the Vista user, the user must be flag as Administrator.
Then, add a virtual machine, which will be a Guest OS, and will host OEL4.6 :


One of the key point is the network configuration, by choosing Bridge, the Guest OS will be independant of your Host OS. It will be able to see all the network, and to be seeing from all the network.
A quick re-call, Guest and Host are used only regarding the VMWare software, the Host OS is the OS whicj the VMWare has been installed on, the Guests are installed through the VMWare virtual machine.
The screenshots above are just for example, but you can choose to create a special folder (or drive) to host the Guest filesystems.
As I did for my OEL virtual machine installation.
Lastly, you have a page which resume all your VM :
Now, you'll be able to go into the new VM (Virtual Machine) :
To install your Guest OS, insert the install CD, a run the VM (green triangle), you can see what happens in the Console tab :
Well, this is a beta version, but seems working fine.
However, there are some odds things :
1. The main thing is the amount of the required memory, not less than 250Mb just for the Tomcat server which manage the virtual server. If you add around 100Mb for 5 others VMWare processes, you'll need 350Mb RAM just to run VMWare. It's a bad new, moreover, you have to take in account the Host OS RAM requirement, the Guest OS RAM requirement, plus the further database, plus the further Peoplesoft application (Application server, Process SCheduler and Web server), you need a lot of RAM. And my 4Gb won't be too low.
2. Some problem on the Guest's screen definition which not allowed you to get your Guest OS in FullScreen mode, not funny if you want to work as a desktop...

Anyway, it's still easy to use.

Next step, OEL4.6 install,

Have fun.