Platform specifics ...
The different platforms can use different formats.
native format = this format can be created by using the GUI
native snapshots = this snapshot format can be created with the Snapshotmanager
native physical disk description = this type of physical disk description is used by the Add-hardware-wizard
import = lists which formats can be imported by the GUI
can handle = this formats can be used but may not be supported - experts only
Workstation
native format : monolithicSparse , monolithicFlat , twoGbMaxExtentSparse , twoGbMaxExtentFlat
native snapshots : monolithicSparse-snapshot , twoGbMaxExtentSparse-snapshot
native physical disk description: fullDevice , partitionedDevice
import: streamOptimized
can handle : vmfs and vmfsSparse
Workstation 7.0 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 7
Workstation 6.5 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 7
Workstation 5.5 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 6
Workstation 4.5 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 4
Workstation 4.0 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 3
Workstation 3.2 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 2
VMplayer 2
native format : not implemented
native snapshots : not implemented
native physical disk description: not implemented
import: streamOptimized
can handle : monolithicSparse , monolithicFlat , twoGbMaxExtentSparse , twoGbMaxExtentFlat, monolithicSparse-snapshot, twoGbMaxExtentSparse-snapshot
VMplayer 2 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 4
VMplayer 3
native format : monolithicSparse , monolithicFlat , twoGbMaxExtentSparse , twoGbMaxExtentFlat
native snapshots : monolithicSparse-snapshot , twoGbMaxExtentSparse-snapshot
native physical disk description: fullDevice , partitionedDevice
import: streamOptimized
VMplayer 3 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 7
VMserver 1
native format : monolithicSparse , monolithicFlat , twoGbMaxExtentSparse , twoGbMaxExtentFlat
native snapshots : monolithicSparse-snapshot , twoGbMaxExtentSparse-snapshot
native physical disk description: fullDevice , partitionedDevice
VMplayer 1 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 4
VMserver 2
native format : monolithicSparse , monolithicFlat , twoGbMaxExtentSparse , twoGbMaxExtentFlat
native snapshots : monolithicSparse-snapshot , twoGbMaxExtentSparse-snapshot
native physical disk description: not implemented
import: streamOptimized
can handle : fullDevice , partitionedDevice
VMplayer 2 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 4
or ddb.virtualHWVersion = 7
Fusion 3
native format : monolithicSparse , monolithicFlat, twoGbMaxExtentSparse , twoGbMaxExtentFlat
native snapshots : monolithicSparse-snapshot , twoGbMaxExtentSparse-snapshot
import: streamOptimized
Fusion typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 7
ESX and ESXi
native format :vmfs
native snapshots : vmfsSparse
native physical disk description : vmfsPassthroughRawDeviceMap , vmfsRawDeviceMap
import: streamOptimized , twoGbMaxExtentSparse
ESX 3 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 4
ESX 4 typically uses ddb.virtualHWVersion = 7