RENTON, Wash., Jan. 9, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- SWsoft (soon to be renamed
Parallels) today announced the release of the beta version of Parallels Server,
the company's hypervisor-powered server virtualization solution. Parallels
Server is the first virtualization solution designed to run on Apple hardware,
including Mac Pros and Xserves, and the first to run multiple copies of Mac OS X
Server v10.5 Leopard on a single Apple computer. Parallels Server also runs on
any x86 or 64-bit Windows or Linux-based server.
Parallels Server can be installed using the Parallels lightweight hypervisor, in
which virtual machines run in tandem with a primary operating system, or 'bare
metal', in which virtual machines run independently and are not dependent on a
host operating system to function properly. Users can choose to load Parallels
Server in lightweight hypervisor mode or bare-metal mode at installation.
Parallels Server is the only virtualization product of any kind to afford users
the flexibility to choose their implementation at install.
The software supports any combination of more than 50 different guest operating
systems including Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 "Longhorn", Red Hat
Linux, SUSE Enterprise Linux, and Sun Solaris simultaneously in isolated virtual
machines. Customers running Parallels Server on Apple hardware also have the
industry-first option of running Mac OS X Server in a virtual machine.
Parallels Server is the first server virtualization product to be designed
uniquely for small and medium businesses and departments of large enterprises,
which require solutions with less complexity in management and deployment. It is
an ideal server consolidation tool that can substantially reduce hardware
expenditures and operating costs, and simplify back-end IT management.
In addition, Parallels Server is the first to offer experimental support for
Intel second-generation virtualization technology, Intel Virtualization
Technology for Directed I/O (Intel VT-d). By fully optimizing for
hardware-enabled virtualization technologies like Intel VT-d, Parallels Server
will not only deliver high levels of performance and reliability but also allows
users to directly assign hardware resources such as a second graphics or network
card to a virtual machine.
Continued Leadership in the Mac Market
SWsoft's Parallels Server is the first server virtualization software solution
on Intel-based Apple hardware supporting Mac OS X Server, including Apple's new
Xserve and Mac Pro lines, which were announced yesterday. With Parallels Server,
Mac OS X Server administrators will be able to run important, industry-standard,
workloads such as SQL Server and Exchange Server at the same time as their Mac
OS X Server applications.
The product is also the first ever to enable running Mac OS X Server, in a
virtual machine. This gives users the ability to create "sandboxed" Mac OS X
Server virtual machines in which they can test patches, new software, and
experiment with new Apple hardware configurations, without compromising a
production server.
Coupled with Parallels Desktop for Mac, the company's award-winning desktop
virtualization solution, Parallels Server presents businesses with a unique
opportunity to standardize on Apple desktop and server hardware while still
having access to applications written for any operating system.
Integration with SWsoft Virtuozzo Containers and Tools
Parallels Server joins SWsoft's Virtuozzo Containers as an additional SWsoft
server virtualization technology. The company will soon extend its
virtualization management tools to manage both Virtuozzo Containers and
Parallels virtual machines in one solution.
"Hundreds of thousands of customers are using Parallels virtualization software
in their businesses and homes to get the most out of their Windows, Mac and
Linux desktop computers and applications," said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of
SWsoft. "Launching the Parallels Server beta is a key milestone in delivering on
our vision of 'Optimized Computing' for servers and desktops across
heterogeneous platforms."
Key Features in the Parallels Server beta include:
-- Run any combination of more than 50 different x86 and x64 guest
operating in secure, high performing virtual machines, and have
the option to run virtual machines in the headless mode via a
"bare metal" hypervisor
-- Take advantage of Parallels Server's industry first capability to
simultaneously run multiple copies of Mac OS X Server, Windows
Server and Linux on the same Xserve
-- Users running Parallels Server on Apple hardware also have the
industry-first option to run Mac OS X Server in a virtual machine
-- Remote control of the virtual machines via the Parallels
Management Console
-- Support for up to 64Gb of RAM on the host computer
-- Full support for x64 primary and guest OSes, as well as 2-way SMP
in virtual machines. The final release version will support up
to 4-way SMP
-- Multi-user access to the same virtual machine
-- Support for ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
in virtual machines
-- Completely open, fully scriptable APIs for customized management
-- Full support for Intel VT-x, and experimental support for Intel
VT-d
Beta Program Participation
Parallels Server is currently in private beta testing, and the company is
accepting registrations for new beta testers. For details about participating in
the beta program, go to www.parallels.com/support/beta.
About SWsoft
SWsoft (soon to be renamed Parallels) is a global leader in virtualization and
automation software that helps consumers, businesses, and service providers
optimize their use of technology. The company's software is used by more than
700,000 customers in 125 countries. The SWsoft product line includes Virtuozzo
Containers - the leading operating system virtualization solution, Parallels
Desktop - the leading desktop virtualization product, and Plesk - the leading
server control panel. Founded in 1999, the company has offices throughout North
America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.swsoft.com.
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CONTACT: SWsoft
Media/Analyst Contacts:
Ben Rudolph, Director of Corp. Communications
(425) 282-6446
ben@swsoft.com
Baker Communications Group
Bill Baker
(860) 350-9100
wbaker@bakercg.com
