Item: VMware Workstation Pro
Rating: 10
Author: Nick Darnell

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I currently use VMware Workstation Pro to manage the VM's in our production environment as well as some locally hosted test machines that may or may not go into production. Workstation allows me to access all of my clusters and VM's with ease on a client based environment rather that web portal based access which can sometime be subpar.

Pros and Cons

Not HTML based - Web applications are not always the best method to access VM's
Isolation - VM's can be pulled off production networks for testing in a safe environment
Operability - The interface mirrors the HTML format giving the user all of the features necessary to modify, access and manage VM's

Stability - The client will sometimes randomly crash
Consistency - I have run into issues where VM hardware can only be modified through vSphere so you must bounce back and fourth from time to time

Return on Investment

None - Although it is a very useful tool, it is convenient not necessary

Key Insights

Do you think VMware Workstation Pro delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with VMware Workstation Pro's feature set?

Yes

Did VMware Workstation Pro live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of VMware Workstation Pro go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy VMware Workstation Pro again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Windows Server, VMware Horizon (formerly VMware View), Android

Likelihood to Recommend

Workstation Pro is well suited for both small and enterprise level applications. Home labs and small businesses can use it to manage a few VM's and massive scale corporations will have the ability to operate multiple clusters across multiple domains all in one setting. I find it most useful for offline application testing on VM's prior to migration into production.

Workstation integration and you!

Overall Satisfaction with VMware Workstation Pro