Parallels on Tuesday is expected to announce the immediate availability of Parallels Server for Mac, beating rival VMware to market with the first server virtualization solution for Intel-based Macs.
The $999 software will be billed as "a powerful and easy-to-use hypervisor solution for server virtualization" that can run on any Intel-powered Apple hardware running OS X Leopard Server, including the brawny Xserve and Mac Pro.
Like VMware's Fusion 2.0 software due later this year, Parallels Server will boast support for OS X Leopard Server as a guest operating system in a virtual machine, allowing enterprises to more effectively consolidate server resources, support legacy OSes and applications, streamline server and application deployment, reduce maintenance and management, simplify software testing and development, and optimize server and application availability.
More specifically, Parallels Server will include a wide range of enterprise-class features, such as:
- 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.
- The inclusion of key next-generation technologies such as an ACPI BIOS, and support for up to 32GB of physical RAM.
- Support for Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT-x) technologies to take full advantage of hardware-assisted acceleration.
- A fully Scriptable Multi-client Parallels Management Console that lets users manages virtual and physical servers locally and remotely. The Parallels Management Console’s APIs are completely open and scriptable with Python, enabling administrators to automate common server tasks straight from the command line.
- An Integrated Toolset that enhances and simplifies the user experience.The toolset includes: Parallels Tools, a set of helpful utilities that make working with virtual servers easier and more productive; Parallels Transporter, a built-in, assistant driven physical to virtual (P2V) and virtual to virtual (V2V) migration tool; and the Parallels Image Tool, which lets users modify settings of their virtual hard disk.
- The ability to run any combination of more than 50 different x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) guest operating systems, including the just released Windows Server 2008 in secure, high-performing virtual machines.
- A Powerful SDK that enables third party vendors to integrate Parallels Server support into their products. The SDK is the same one used by Parallels engineers to build the Parallels Management Console.
Additional details on Server for Mac will be available from Parallels' website when the software is made available for purchase and download on Tuesday. Server for Mac will also be available via the Parallels worldwide network of channel partners.