VMware Workstation Pro 16.1.1 released: support for Containers and Kubernetes
VMware Workstation Pro 16 provides the leading features and performance that a professional technician relies on every day when using a virtual machine. With the latest versions of Windows and Linux, the latest processors and hardware support, and the ability to connect to VMware vSphere and vCloud Air, it’s the perfect tool to increase productivity, save time, and conquer cloud computing.
Changelog
New Features
Okay, it’s time to look a little more closely at some more new features.
Containers and Kubernetes
For developers, we’ve added support for Containers and Kubernetes with a new CLI tool: vctl!
Currently available in Fusion, vctl allows users to push, pull, build and run OCI container images, and now also includes the ability to deploy kind Kubernetes clusters.
In support of kind, vctl creates a ‘docker compatible’ socket for kind to connect to without modification, by using an implementation of containerd. We’re looking forward to working closely with the open source community to help support more tools and workflows as we continue to grow in this space!
Even better news is that it will ship with Workstation Player as well as Workstation Pro, making it accessible to everyone.
DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1
Workstation 16 will support running games and apps with Direct3D version 11, otherwise known as ‘DirectX 11’, or OpenGL 4.1. Users can now allocate up to 8GB of vRAM to your 3D accelerated guest to maximize gaming and 3D app performance. (vms must be configured for 16GB of RAM or more to unlock the 8GB vRAM option.)
vSphere 7 Compatibility
Workstation has been updated to support connections to vSphere 7 through ESXi and vCenter for remote VM operation and configuration, as well as providing workload mobility and compatibility between the Desktops and Data Center virtual infrastructure. (Pro products are required for remote-connections)
Dark Mode UI
Upon launching Workstation 16 for Windows, the first thing users might notice is that we’ve added an all new Dark Mode feature to the Workstation Pro and Player UIs. This striking new look feels right at home on the latest versions of Windows 10, including the recently released 2004 build. (We’re holding out on screenshots while we put the final touches on the new UI 😉
Sandboxed Graphics Rendering Engine
Workstation offers a new security enhancement feature: Sandbox Renderer. The SBR runs the virtual graphics engine in a separate thread with reduced privilege, making Fusion and Workstation more secure out-of-the-box without sacrificing performance or quality.
Linux Host: Vulkan Graphics Rendering Engine
With Workstation 16 for Linux, we’ve added a new rendering engine that takes advantage of the Vulkan API. Our new Vulkan renderer can deliver DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.3 to vms even when using an integrated Intel GPU.
Improved Accessibility
We believe in making computing as inclusive as possible for everyone. To that end, we’ve improved our compliance with VPAT Section 508 to help users of all kinds get the full benefits of using virtual machines.
USB 3.1 Support + Performance & Bugfixes
In this release we’ve also added support for USB 3.1 virtual devices, allowing for USB 3.1 hardware devices to be passed into virtual machines with full driver support.
