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Sun VirtualBox

Sun Microsystems Unleashes VirtualBox 3.0, Adds Many Server Virtualization Features

July 1, 2009 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Sun Microsystems today announced a new version of Sun VirtualBox, its cross-platform virtualization software. VirtualBox 3.0 is capable of creating and running multi-processor virtual machines that can handle heavyweight server-class workloads, and also delivers enhanced graphics support for desktop-class workloads, reinforcing VirtualBox’s position as one of the world’s most popular virtualization platforms.

Many multi-threaded server-based workloads, such as database and Web applications, can benefit from Symmetric Multiple Processing (SMP) systems, which contain multiple CPUs. VirtualBox 3.0 can now support virtual SMP systems with up to 32 virtual CPUs (vCPUs) in a single virtual machine. With this major enhancement, VirtualBox software can be used to run not only desktop workloads on client or server systems, but also demanding server workloads.

A key component of Sun’s industry-leading desktop-to-datacenter virtualization portfolio, VirtualBox software has been rapidly growing in popularity, surpassing 14.5 million downloads and 4 million registrations worldwide, as well as more than 25,000 downloads a day. A mere 50 megabyte download, VirtualBox software is incredibly compact and efficient and installs in just a few minutes.

New server features of VirtualBox 3.0 software include:

  • Up to 32 vCPUs per guest to accommodate heavyweight data-processing workloads.
  • Hypervisor enhancements for SMP to enable optimum performance.
  • Updated API platform designed to be the basis of the community-driven VirtualBox Web Console project, which is coming soon to allow IT administrators to manage their datacenters from a Web console. This project is based on the popular Python language.

New desktop features of VirtualBox 3.0 software include:

  • Microsoft Direct3D support for Windows guests, which enables graphically intensive Windows applications, like computer modeling, 3D design and games software, to run in a virtual environment.
  • Support for version 2.0 of the Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) standard. As a result, high-performance Windows, Linux, Solaris(TM), and OpenSolaris(TM) graphical applications, which typically use graphical hardware acceleration, are able to run applications like Google Earth and CAM-based software on VirtualBox software.
  • Support for a wider range of USB devices, including storage devices, iPods and phones.

VirtualBox software is free of charge for personal use. For wider deployments within an organization, Enterprise subscriptions are also available, starting at $30 (USD) per user per year, which includes 24/7 premium support from Sun’s technical team. Discounts are available based on volume.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: cross-platform, sun, sun microsystems, sun microsystems VirtualBox 3.0, Sun VirtualBox, sun VirtualBox 3.0, VirtualBox, VirtualBox 3.0, virtualisation, virtualization, virtualization software

Sun Releases VirtualBox 2.2, Comes With OVF Support

April 10, 2009 by Robin Wauters 3 Comments

Sun Microsystems today announced the availability of Sun VirtualBox 2.2, the latest release of its free and open source virtualization software. VirtualBox 2.2 introduces support for the new Open Virtualization Format (OVF) standard, as well as significant performance enhancements and updates.

OVF is a Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) standard that enables virtual machines or appliances to be imported and exported. Virtual appliances are one or more virtual machines that are pre-installed and configured so they can be shared, published and distributed. VirtualBox 2.2 software enables users to build virtual machines or appliances and effortlessly export them from a development environment and import them into a production environment. Support for OVF also helps to ensure VirtualBox 2.2 software is interoperable with other technologies that follow the standard.

A key component of Sun’s industry-leading desktop-to-datacenter virtualization portfolio, VirtualBox software has been rapidly growing in popularity, surpassing 11 million downloads worldwide, 3.5 million registrations since October 2007, with in excess of 25,000 downloads a day. A mere 50 megabyte download, VirtualBox software is incredibly compact and efficient and installs in less than five minutes.

Additional features of VirtualBox 2.2 software include:

  • Hypervisor optimizations to make this the fastest VirtualBox release available to date
  • 3D graphics acceleration for Linux and Solaris applications using OpenGL, allowing a whole new class of applications to run in a virtual machine
  • Support for Snow Leopard, Apple’s forthcoming 64 bit platform
  • Increased maximum memory size of guests to 16Gb RAM
  • New host-interface networking mode, which makes it easier than ever before to run server applications in virtual machines

VirtualBox software is free of charge for personal use. For wider deployments within an organisation Enterprise subscriptions are also available, starting at $30 (USD) per user per year, which includes 24/7 premium support from Sun’s technical team. Discounts are available based on volume.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Distributed Management Task Force, DMTF, Open Virtualization Format, ovf, sun, sun microsystems, Sun VirtualBox, sun virtualbox 2.2, virtual box, VirtualBox, virtualbox 2.2, virtualisation, virtualization

Sun’s xVM VirtualBox 2.1.2 Comes With Full Support For Windows 7 Beta

January 26, 2009 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Sun has announced the newest version of xVM VirtualBox, which got a significant update.

VirtualBox 2.1.2 is the first to fully support the beta version of Windows 7 as a guest or operating system.

  • Users can install Windows 7 Beta on the bare metal and then run Windows Vista/XP or Ubuntu or the Sun Solaris OS.
  • Users can run Windows 7 Beta on a Mac, Windows Vista/XP, etc. Linux (all 35 types) and OpenSolaris as well.
  • VirtualBox 2.1.2 also supports more than 1,000 virtual machines per host operating system.
  • Made speed improvements for real mode and protected mode without paging.
  • Raised the RAM limit for new VMs to 75% of the host memory.

And it has added or fixed a number of other items in this maintenance release.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Amazon EC2 for Windows, release, sun, Sun VirtualBox, Sun VirtualBox 2.1.2, Sun xVM, Sun xVM VirtualBox, Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.1.2, VirtualBox, VirtualBox 2.1.2, virtualisation, virtualization, Windows 7, xVM VirtualBox 2.1.2

VirtualBox 2.0 Hits The Wire

September 4, 2008 by Kris Buytaert Leave a Comment

Sun just announced the availability of Sun xVM Virtual Box 2.0.

The biggest change in xVM VirtualBox 2.0 is the new support for 64-bit versions of operating systems like Windows Vista and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, in addition to all other major host operating systems. VirtualBox also offers a new user interface for the Mac platform, improved networking for the Mac OS X and Solaris OS, as well as improved performance, especially on AMD chips.

Customers who purchase an enterprise subscription will also receive a Right-to-Use License, allowing them to deploy the xVM VirtualBox platform using their own software deployment tools.

The following major new features were added:

* 64 bits guest support (64 bits host only)
* New native Leopard user interface on Mac OS X hosts
* The GUI was converted from Qt3 to Qt4 with many visual improvements
* New-version notifier
* Guest property information interface
* Host Interface Networking on Mac OS X hosts
* New Host Interface Networking on Solaris hosts
* Support for Nested Paging on modern AMD CPUs (major performance gain)
* Framework for collecting performance and resource usage data (metrics)
* Added SATA asynchronous IO (NCQ: Native Command Queuing) when accessing raw disks/partitions (major performance gain)
* Clipboard integration for OS/2 Guests
* Created separate SDK component featuring a new Python programming interface on Linux and Solaris hosts
* Support for VHD disk images

Filed Under: Guest Posts, News Tagged With: desktop virtualization, free, Hypervisor, innotek, sun, sun microsystems, Sun VirtualBox, Sun VirtualBox 2.0, Sun xVM, Sun xVM VirtualBox, Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0, VirtualBox, VirtualBox 2.0, virtualisation, virtualization, XVM, xVM VirtualBox, xVM VirtualBox 2.0

Sun Microsystems Inks Bunch Of New OEM Agreements To Expand xVM VirtualBox Reach

August 12, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

—

Sun Microsystems today announced new multi-year OEM agreements with Avanquest Software, Q-layer and Zenith InfoTech to expand the reach of Sun xVM VirtualBox.

Sun xVM VirtualBox is available via the OEM program or in a free, open source version here. Since its release in January 2007, Sun xVM (VirtualBox) has surpassed 5 million downloads, and the company boasts about it being the first free hypervisor to support all major host operating systems, including Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, Solaris and OpenSolaris.

Sun xVM VirtualBox software, which it acquired through its maker innotek earlier this year, is a key component of Sun’s broader xVM virtualization and management software portfolio, which includes Sun xVM Ops Center, Sun xVM Server and the Sun VDI Software.

Avanquest will produce and publish Sun xVM VirtualBox bundled with OpenSolaris and sell it via retail outlets in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. Beginning this fall, Avanquest will provide Mac users with a solution to run the Windows operating system through Sun xVM VirtualBox.

Q-layer is leveraging Sun xVM VirtualBox to deliver complete datacenter virtualization capabilities for its customers.

Zenith InfoTech has built its network attached storage appliance for small and medium-sized businesses using Sun xVM VirtualBox.

Filed Under: Featured, News, Partnerships Tagged With: Avanquest, Avanquest Software, desktop virtualization, free, Hypervisor, innotek, OEM, OEM agreement, Q-layer, Qlayer, sun, sun microsystems, Sun VirtualBox, Sun xVM, Sun xVM VirtualBox, Sun xVM VirtualBox 1.6, VirtualBox, virtualisation, virtualization, XVM, xVM VirtualBox, xVM VirtualBox 1.6, Zenith InfoTech

Sun xVM VirtualBox Downloads Pass The Five Million Mark

May 29, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Sun Microsystems today announced that Sun xVM VirtualBox, the free and open source desktop virtualization software it acquired by taking over its maker innotek earlier this year, has surpassed five million downloads in just 18 months.

Sun xVM VirtualBox

The press release touts the xVM VirtualBox 1.6 software to be the first free hypervisor to support all major host operating systems (OS), including Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, Solaris and OpenSolaris. Sun unveiled xVM VirtualBox 1.6 earlier this month. Currently downloaded more than 10,000 times a day, the new version includes more than 2,000 enhancements and full support for Mac OS X, Solaris and OpenSolaris host operating systems. It also features newly added support for high performance virtual devices, improved scalability and Web services for remote administration.

xVM VirtualBox software is a key component of Sun’s xVM virtualization and management software portfolio, which includes Sun xVM Ops Center, Sun xVM Server, expected for release in the Summer of 2008, and the Sun Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Software.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: desktop virtualization, free, Hypervisor, innotek, sun, sun microsystems, Sun VirtualBox, Sun xVM, Sun xVM VirtualBox, Sun xVM VirtualBox 1.6, VirtualBox, virtualisation, virtualization, XVM, xVM VirtualBox, xVM VirtualBox 1.6

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