Three big changes coming to macOS virtual machines: USB accessory access, including external storage, guest provisioning, and layered disk images for VMs.
ASIF
The new ASIF disk image type is now 18 months old. How well does it perform? Is it as good as claimed? It all depends on whether you want to use encryption.
They come in a multitude of formats and variants, and are used throughout macOS and apps. How do you use them, and what should be wary of?
This new disk image format is claimed to be “efficient and general-purpose”. But is it? Is it as fast as sparse bundles or read-write (UDRW) disk images are?
ASIF disk images are new in Tahoe, and promise to be space efficient, as they’re sparse files, and almost as fast as the disk they’re stored on. Ideal for VMs and general use.
The Eclectic Light Company 