Q: What do I need to know about installing Debathena in a virtual machine?

Answer

A virtual machine is a good way to install multiple operating systems on your computer without having to constantly reboot between them or partition your hard drive. However, virtual machines differ from physical computers in some key aspects, some of which are relevant to Debathena.

• While there are many virtualization options, IS&T recommends VMware Workstation for Linux and Windows platforms and VMware Fusion for Mac OS. Both are available for free to MIT students, faculty and staff.

• For detailed instructions on how to install an Ubuntu or Debian package on a virtual machine, please see Installing Ubuntu in a virtual machine (Kerberos user ID required).

• For networking, a virtual machine can use bridged or NAT mode:
  • bridged mode creates a virtual interface on the same network on the host computer, and requires that the virtual machine have its own IP address on that network.
  • NAT mode creates a small network between the host computer and the virtual machine, and behaves similarly to a wireless router you might have in your home.
  • When in NAT mode, you will not be able to use Zephyr. This is a limitation of the Zephyr protocol.