Parallels Server Beta

Parallels Server Reaches Beta 4 Build

May 1, 2008 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

Parallels Server 3.0 Beta4 Build 1990 is now available for download. The build reintroduces Leopard Server virtualization, which had been temporarily removed. The upgraded beta means that Leopard Server can once again be run under a virtual machine on XServe systems, or any other compatible Apple hardware.

As a company employee posts in the Parallels forum, this is what’s new in Beta 4:

Virtualization Engine

Guest Mac OS X Leopard Server support (on top of Mac OS X Leopard Server only)
General performance improvement
Virtual machine density improvement

Virtual devices

Networking performance improvement

Server Infrastructure and User interface

Separate installer for Parallels Management Console for Linux included
Separate installer for Parallels SDK included

[Source: MacNN]

Parallels Server Beta 3 Hits The Streets

April 10, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Parallels has released Parallels Server beta 3. The update includes an integrated toolset that includes Parallels Tools, Parallels Image Tool and Parallels Transporter (a P2V and V2V migration tool) to the hypervisor solution for server virtualization.

Built on Parallels’ bare metal hypervisor architecture and award-winning hypervisor-based virtualization technology, Parallels Server for Mac enables organizations to:

Standardize server hardware platforms

Effectively consolidate server resources

Consolidate and support legacy OSes and applications

Streamline server and application deployment, maintenance and management

Simplify software testing and development

Optimize server and application availability

More info here, download here.

Parallels Server Beta 2 Now Available In Public Beta

March 5, 2008 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

Parallels, Inc. (formerly SWsoft) today announced that Beta 2 of its Parallels Server hardware virtualization solution is now available for immediate public download at www.parallels.com/server/beta.

Parallels Server is a hypervisor-based virtualization solution that provides the best value for Small and Medium-size Businesses (SMBs) and enterprise departments looking to maximize their IT investments via server hardware or legacy OS consolidation. Parallels Server can be installed on any server running Windows or Linux as well as any Intel-based Mac running OS X “Tiger” or “Leopard” and can be managed through the included Parallels Management Console.

“We are extending beta testing to everyone based on the positive results from our closed beta,” said Corey Thomas, Vice President of Consumer and Business Marketing, Parallels. “Feedback has been that it is easy to install and use, reliable and fast. We’ve incorporated feature requests and fixes into this latest version and feel confident that it’s ready for a broader set of beta users to experience.”

The new features include:

A Full Bare-metal Hypervisor that allows users to run multiple virtual machines directly on the host physical machine’s hardware, without depending on a host OS. This hypervisor implementation provides users with the fastest, most stable virtual machines possible.
An Integrated Toolset that enhances and simplifies the user experience. The toolset includes: Parallels Tools, a set of helpful add-ons that make working with virtual servers easier and more productive: Parallels Transporter, a built-in, wizard driven migration tool that can move the entire contents of a real machine to a virtual machine: and an integrated, single-click backup utility.
Virtual Support for 4-way Symmetric Multi-processing (SMP), which lets users assign up to 4 virtual cores to a virtual machine for exceptional performance under heavy workloads. 2-way SMP is also supported, giving users an unsurpassed level of virtual machine customization.
Experimental Support for Intel VT-d, enabling users to leverage full hardware-acceleration technologies for faster, more stable virtual machines and better resource management. Using VT-d, users can also directly assign hardware resources such as graphics and network cards to virtual machines, giving them native access to that hardware for optimal service levels. Parallels support of this feature is an industry first and is critically important to bringing virtual machine performance and functionality closer to that of real machines.

[Source: MacTech]

Parallels Server Beta program launched

January 10, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Leopard server virtual machines are now possible in the Parallels Server Open beta launch.

The Parallels Server Beta program, invites you to toss your proverbial hat into the ring and help them get the product ready for shipping. Parallels Server seems packed with lots of great stuff, like:

The ability to run more than 50 different x86 and x64 guest operating systems on any, Windows, Linux and Mac OS X Server. That’s right, this isn’t just a Mac product; its ready to go on just about any server, PC or Mac.

The option to run virtual machines either in lightweight hypervisor mode (similar in implementation to Desktop for Mac) or in the headless mode via a “bare metal” hypervisor. This second option is particularly interesting as it enables VMs to run in parallel (pun intended) without being dependent on a primary operating system

The ability to – for the first time EVER – run Mac OS X Leopard Server in a virtual machine! Yes, you heard right; if you’re a Mac user, you will be able to run Leopard Server in its own VM. Great for testing and development, but also important for Mac Server admins who want to maximize their Xserve hardware.

More information by Ben Rudolph at source.