Parallels updates its virtual PC system

 

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By Alun Williams

Posted on 9 Dec 2005 at 12:47

Parallels has updated its virtual PC system, Workstation 2.0. It enables users to run networked, independent virtual machines on a single physical system.

A hardware emulation virtualisation system, it maps the host computer's hardware resources directly to each virtual PC's resources. Parallels claims that it enables each virtual machine to work with its own processor, RAM, floppy and CD drives, I/O devices, and hard disk.

Among those welcoming the release is Intel, which brought its Silvervale server-originating virtualisation technology to the desktop last month (the Vanderpool technology for the desktop is being readied for Windows Vista).

'We're pleased to see Parallels use Intel's new hardware Virtualisation Technology,' said Intel's general manager of Developer Relations Division, Melissa Laird. 'With this offering, Parallels provides an affordable solution for client virtualisation.'

There are also plans for Workstation to support AMD's Pacifica virtualisation architecture when it is released to the general public.

'The availability of Parallels Workstation 2.0 at the industry-leading price of $49, along with the product's powerful lightweight hypervisor and full support of Intel Virtualisation Technology, sets the tone for Parallels' aggressive virtualisation product roadmap,' said Benjamin Rudolph, Parallels' Marketing Manager. 'We look forward to continuing our mission of building "virtualisation solutions for everyone" with the upcoming release of our server virtualisation products in 2006.'

Parallels states that it is the first desktop virtualisation system to include a lightweight hypervisor that directly controls some of the host computer's hardware resources. It claims that the inclusion of this mature technology, originally developed in the '60s with mainframe roots, makes for more stable and efficient virtual PCs.

The cost of a licence is $49 and a fully-functional 45-day trial version of Workstation 2.0 can be downloaded, with more information found at the company website.

In terms of operating systems supported, as 'guest' OSs, they cover the range of x86-based systems: the entire Windows family (3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, Me, 2000, XP and 2003); Linux distributions from the likes of Red Hat, SuSE, Mandriva, Debian and Fedora Core; FreeBSD; and various 'legacy' systems such as OS/2, eComStation and MS-DOS. The 'primary' OS for installation is equally wide - see the website for the definitive list.

The screenshot shows Windows XP, Mandriva Linux 10.0 and OS/2 4.5 guest virtual machines running alongside a Windows XP primary OS.