For years now, VMware has extended its focus from hypervisor or platform provider to management player, and it didn't take the company long to realize the next phase of revenue would come from management tools. VMware currently offers several virtualization management applications for sale, including software to manage chargeback, capacity planning, configuration, orchestration, and even business continuity.

But VMware also provides a number of free tools. In addition to well-established and supported freebies such as VMware Server, Player, and vCenter Converter, the company has established VMware Labs, a division dedicated to creating free community-driven tools. The free tools from the lab, as you might recall, are called "flings."

Back in December, InfoWorld talked about two VMware Labs flings worth downloading: I/O Analyzer and ESX System Analyzer. If it's a battle to find information about your virtual environment, these two flings should be a part of your overall war strategy. Building on that strategy, VMware Labs has issued yet another free fling ready for the downloading. This latest valuable tool is called vBenchmark.

VMware vBenchmark will analyze your VMware virtual environment and in return provide you with a clean-looking, informative dashboard. It measures performance across three broad categories: efficiency, operational agility, and quality of service.

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Click here to read the entire InfoWorld Virtualization Report article.