Client Testing Environments (OSX running in VM)

[dooley_do]

Hi,

What do you guys use for running virtual instances of OS X for testing deployments etc? We are from the PC world and so are used to using VMWare Workstation and running multiple Windows machines locally for development. I have tried running OS X in VMware on Windows and it works, but is a bit clunky. If I had a Mac as my desktop can I run OS X VMs within it in a supported fashion?

Done some reading around this and I have seen suggestions of running ESXi on a Mac Mini then using vSphere on the PC to access it, which would be nice if it worked...

Thanks

[DBrowning]

@dooley_do

I've done it both ways you mention. I used to run VM Fusion on my machine and built Mac VMs. Works OK but a little sluggish since its sharing the hardware to run the main OS. I have since moved to running a MacPro with ESXI 6 installed on it. This allows the VMs to better use the Mac Hardware. runs nice and smooth. I have a windows VM that i run the vShpere software on to access the ESXI.

If you can afford it, i would recommend the ESXI route. I would just make sure you get a supported Mac as some of the older ones are not supported out of the box for ESXI.

[dooley_do]

Great thanks. I've got a 2015 Mac Mini kicking around so I shall give it a try on that first and see how it plays...

[jhuls]

Depending on what I'm testing it works good using VMWare Fusion Pro on my Mac. The problem I run into is if I need to test something like Final Cut Pro where it looks at specific graphics hardware and won't run in my vm.

[Lotusshaney]

Dont forget you can only VM 2 OS X Instances according to the EULA !!!

[ryanstayloradob]

I use Fusion on my Macs to run VM's to test everything from beta OS's, OS upgrades with Self Service, security patches, applications, scripts, policies, and reporting. I'm not concerned about performance, only that the deployment and/or policy was successful.

[musat]

Anyone using VirtualBox on the Mac for OS X VMs? It has been a while since I tried so just wondering if it is working now and what tips there are for getting it going.

[CapU]

I use VMware Fusion with Composer on it. I then have a base snapshot that I can jump back to. That way I always have a "clean install" to install and test packages.
I use a 27" mid 2011 with 16GB ram iMac and a macbook pro with VMWare installed to get the job done.