VMblog reports that Slickdeals.net found out about a special deal from Parallels: the company is offering a free copy of Parallels Workstation for Windows and Linux desktop virtualization software.
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DataCore Introduces SAN Software Starter Packages For SMBs
DataCore Software has announced an expanded line of new SAN software starter packages priced for small-to-midsize businesses (SMBs).
The high cost and complexity of traditional SAN storage required to support virtual servers and desktops puts it out of the reach for many small and mid-size businesses. DataCore’s new packages firmly reset the industry’s starting price point for business continuity solutions that provide true auto failover/failback high-availability and fault tolerance. These new packages provide a new level of automated storage protection to ensure business uptime, while also significantly lowering the cost and complexity barriers of SAN storage for Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix, Virtual Iron, Parallels, VMware and other server and desktop virtualization environments.
The new software packages, with entry prices starting at under $2,000 per server, include thin provisioning, data migration technology, storage performance caching software, snapshots for fast disk backups, remote site disaster recovery replication and DataCore’s High Availability (HA) data protection. In virtual server and desktop environments, DataCore’s HA is unmatched in automation (true failover/failback recovery), manufacturer independence (storage and server brands), network connectivity (iSCSI or FC, or both) and proven fault tolerance (deployed in thousands of systems worldwide).
DataCore’s new packages fill the gap between low-end, Windows system replication solutions that provide limited single system data protection (e.g. Double-Take Software) for VMs at a cost of thousands and higher-end, enterprise-class storage arrays and SAN that provide necessary protection but are complex and often cost $100,000 or more. With these packages, DataCore has created a new class of SAN solutions that deliver the highest-end data protection capabilities at a SMB price point.
Release: Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac
Parallels today announced the availability of Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac, which enables users to run Windows, Linux and other operating systems side-by-side with Mac OS X. The new version improves OS integration, performs up to 50% faster and incorporates a range of security, backup and power saving features to give Mac users a truly easy, fast and powerful desktop computing solution.
Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac introduces support for DirectX 9, DirectX Pixel Shader 2.0 and OpenGL 2.0, providing fast video performance, while the Adaptive Hypervisor dynamically allocates resources to meet user needs. The responsiveness to all applications is further enhanced as the virtualization engine has been optimized to consume 15-30% less resources than previous versions.
Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac addresses two other primary user concerns: security and backup. The software offers users peace of mind through Parallels Internet Security powered by Kaspersky for anti-virus, firewall, scanner, recovery, filtering and identity protection as well as Acronis True Image Home backup and restore and Acronis Disk Director Suite. These three additions to Parallels Desktop represent $175 in extra value along with a more complete user experience.
Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac is available in English and localized versions will soon be available in Chinese, Czech, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Polish and Russian.
The standard retail price (SRP) of Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac is $79.99. New users can test a free, fully-functional copy for 15 days. Current Parallels Desktop users can upgrade their existing software for only $39.99 – a 50% off promotional price available until November 30, 2008. Users that purchased version 3.0 on or after September 1, 2008, qualify for a free upgrade to version 4.0.
Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac is available at Amazon.com, Apple Store, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, MicroCenter, Office Depot, Staples and hundreds of other retailers nationwide.
SAVVIS To Resell Skytap’s Virtual Lab service, Seals Alliance With Parallels
Skytap today announced a strategic alliance with SAVVIS, provider of IT infrastructure services for business applications, to resell Skytap’s Virtual Lab service.
Skytap Virtual Lab provides virtualized infrastructure, including hardware, storage and networking resources. Customers get access to a complete virtual lab solution on demand including a pre-populated virtual machine library with major operating systems, databases and other application software.
SAVVIS also announced a business alliance with Parallels. The alliance enables independent software vendors (ISVs) to rapidly convert their single-tenancy applications to operate in a Software as a Service (SaaS) environment without having to re-architect their software.
DataCore and Parallels Form Technology Alliance
DataCore Software and Parallels today announced the formation of a technology alliance. The purpose of the alliance is to provide mutual customers with an enhanced “complete virtualization” (server virtualization + storage virtualization) user experience, and to facilitate cross-qualification of their respective solutions on an ongoing basis.
The Pinnacle Group, a Premier Partner with DataCore Software and an expert in virtualization, storage, high availability and disaster recovery infrastructures, helped MB Trading meet its business objectives by designing and implementing DataCore’s SANmelody as the backbone of its virtualization infrastructure, running in conjunction with Parallels. MB Trading produces a very high number of transactions on a daily basis, so redundancy, high availability, and performance played a large role in the decision making process.
Parallels and DataCore Software’s SANmelody and SANsymphony virtual storage solutions, together deliver to the mainstream market enterprise-class, higher performance, server and storage virtualization capabilities at a fraction of the cost of alternative solutions. DataCore’s simple, low-cost networked storage combined with Parallel’s virtual server infrastructure enables benefits such as no downtime maintenance, automatic capacity management and business continuity without a heavy hardware investment.
Parallels Readying Attack on VMware Fusion With Desktop 4
AppleInsider has taken a close look at a few features of the upcoming Parallels Desktop 4, which will be Parallels’ answer to the latest release of VMware Fusion 2.0.
“Those aware of the changes say the new release will be Parallels’ first to make good on promise made in early January that it would enable virtualization of Mac OS X Server on Macs already running the operating system, making use of a change in licensing terms with Leopard’s release late last year that permits more than one copy to run at the same time.
Such features have been frequently requested by IT administrators, who on Linux and Windows have already been able to segregate individual apps away from the main operating system in the event of a crash or a security breach.”
Ars Technica adds:
“Desktop 4’s performance will also be beefed up by adding DirectX 9 and OpenGL 2 support, an improved virtualization engine, and support for multiple cores and more RAM.
A makeover for the new version of Parallels Desktop is also in the cards, including a redesigned and simplified interface and more Terminal-based controls. In addition, the team is working on improving the ACPI interface (used for shutdowns and sleeping), and should be adding virtual machine resizing and 64-bit support. Based on those features, the software shouldn’t have a hard time catching up to Fusion, but I hope the team has something else waiting in the wings.”