The company behind the popular Mac desktop virtualization software, Parallels, is now offering what it calls the first virtualization server software for Intel-based Apple hardware.

Released in a beta, Parallels Server from SWsoft allows multiple copies of Mac OS X Server 10.5 to run on Mac Pro or Xserve computers.

The software additionally runs on Windows- or Linux-based servers, and can be used either with the Parallels lightweight hypervisor or in “bare metal.” With the hypervisor, virtual machines operate with a primary operating system; in “bare metal,” virtual machines run independently without being dependent on a host operating system.

Support for 50 Operating Systems

The company said that Parallels Server is the only virtualization product that allows administrators to choose the hypervisor or bare-metal option during installation. Parallels Server supports more than 50 different guest operating systems, including Windows Server, Red Hat Linux, SUSE Enterprise Linux, Sun Solaris, and Mac OS X Server.

SWsoft said that Parallels Server

is the first software to allow Mac OS X Server to run in a virtual machine, which means administrators can experiment patches, new software, and equipment in a “sandboxed” Mac OS X virtual machine before they are used in actual environments.

The company plus said that Parallels Server is the first virtualization product to offer experimental support for Intel’s second-generation virtualization technology, known as Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O.

The support for VT-d not only will supply higher levels of performance, according to SWsoft, but plus will allow administrators to assign hardware, such as a second graphics or network card, to a virtual machine.

Riding Wave of Interest

Renton, Washington-based SWsoft, soon to be known as Parallels after its well-known product that enables desktop Macs to run both Mac OS and Windows, is hoping to ride the wave of renewed interest in Apple’s Xserve among businesses.

“Mac servers and…

Orginal post by Top Tech News