Delivery of software in a virtual machine?

>> And to protect against copying as suggested, if not a secret?
well, for example so as always when you first start asking for a license.
\r
well, we don't protect their software, about the same as does the Oracle, (for the same reason).

If the software server, then the user gets a cool quest to configure the network in VmWare.

>> And how much heavier demands on the hardware in this case?
In my experience, not much, especially when the vm hypervisor is deployed on most iron (VWare ESX, Oracle VM etc)

I think that the most correct in this case, it will use the experience of the developers of devices with built-IN firmware. That is, supplying the virtual reality includes non-updatable partition with the "boot loader" firwmare for example, much reduced and stable Linux, or anything else by choice, the section with the actual firmware is the OS image with the software and a section with user data. Then send a new version of firmware to update to restart the system with "boot loader" and select "refresh". Something in this spirit.
And put the software on the VM — well, Yes. The weighting of requirements is much kompensiruet stability of the system — because, in fact, inside any VM work the same device driver irrespective of the actual hardware of the server. That is, the V-world, proven in the laboratory, will be exactly the same to work in any conditions. Not that your software may suddenly skomplektovat with the mouse driver, written with the left foot.