VMware Fusion Pro pros and cons

4.5 out of 5

8 reviews
100% willing to recommend

489 followers

Pros & Cons summary

VMware Fusion Pro enables users to run Windows virtual machines on Mac, providing access to Windows ESXi infrastructure. Known for stability and versatility, it facilitates rapid OS launches and simple custom virtual machine creation. While its transfer process from ESXi is complex and snapshot handling needs improvement, reliance on Windows backups exists. Licensing costs are high, and users face repeated notifications about background installations due to macOS registration issues.

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

VMware Fusion Pro enables running Windows VMs on a Mac, which is its most valuable feature.

The Pro version provides the capability to connect to Windows ESXi infrastructure at the backend.

VMware Fusion Pro is versatile and supports various use cases.

It is known for high stability during operation.

The primary advantage is the simplicity in creating custom virtual machines.

CONS

VMware Fusion Pro's snapshot handling process can lead to issues if not properly managed before moving virtual machines.

Backup functionality for virtual machines relies on external solutions rather than native VMware capabilities.

Pulling resources from VMware infrastructure into Fusion is not as straightforward as pushing them, impacting usability and flexibility.

The licensing cost of VMware Fusion Pro requires significant improvement for better accessibility.

Installation complexities with VMware Fusion Pro result in continual notifications and integration issues with macOS.

VMware Fusion Pro Pros review quotes

reviewer1330542

Network Engineer at a government with 501-1,000 employees

Nov 26, 2020

The whole point of it is to run Windows VMs on a Mac. This is the most valuable feature. There is snapshotting, but we don't really use that. The Pro version allows me to actually attach to the Windows ESXi infrastructure at the backend, and I'm able to create a session that I can attach to the VMware hooks at the backend, so one is running a VM, and the whole operating system is running on the actual Mac. The other one is literally a frontend to the VMs that are running in the infrastructure at the backend. These are the two main features I use.

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Bruce Lundberg

Linux HPC Systems Administrator at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Dec 18, 2024

The primary advantage of VMware Fusion Pro is its simplicity in creating custom virtual machines.

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Christian Kyony

Senior Security Engineer at DRS

Jun 3, 2024

The most important feature of VMware Fusion is that it helps me rapidly launch a new OS.

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Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

November 2024

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Amit Negi

Information Technology Officer at Loesche GmbH

May 29, 2023

It is a highly stable solution.

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reviewer1738311

Cybersecurity Student at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees

Feb 23, 2022

The most value that it provides is that it is versatile.

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Reviewer836542

Chief Technology Officer at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees

Nov 29, 2024

VMware Fusion Pro offers simplicity of use and stability.

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IhorPetruk

Head of System Software Division at Bunch Craft Group

Sep 12, 2023

The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface.

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VMware Fusion Pro Cons review quotes

reviewer1330542

Network Engineer at a government with 501-1,000 employees

Nov 26, 2020

The way they handle snapshotting can be improved. One time, I moved a machine from one to another, and I tried to pull it up on the second machine, but it didn't work. This was because I had not cleaned up the snapshot before I deleted it and moved it across. So, when I tried to pull it up, it wouldn't let me bring it up. The backups for the VMs themselves can also be improved. I pretty much have to rely on Windows backups and not something on VMware. That's where it needs improvement. I am able to upload from my Fusion into the ESXi easily. I'm able to spin something up on Fusion and push it into the big arena, but the reverse is not as easy, that is, trying to pull something down from that. I would love to have a functionality where I could pull something from the VMware infrastructure into Fusion, but I'm not sure if I can take something from ESXi and pull it into Fusion.

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Bruce Lundberg

Linux HPC Systems Administrator at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Dec 18, 2024

The only issue I've experienced with VMware Fusion Pro is that it doesn't register correctly with the main macOS system, causing repeated notifications about background installations. This is a minor inconvenience.

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Christian Kyony

Senior Security Engineer at DRS

Jun 3, 2024

Additionally, enhancing the API interactions could improve the ability to manage VS and deploy various kinds of guests.

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Buyer's Guide

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

November 2024

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Find out what your peers are saying about VMware, Parallels, Omnissa and others in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). Updated: November 2024.

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