We recently brought you news of Apple’s new Boot Camp which allows you to run Windows XP on an Intel Mac but only in a dual-boot configuration – running one or the other. While some Mac users will be glad of the chance to run some Windows software without having the expense of an additional PC, it would perhaps be a more practical proposition to be able to run both OSX and XP simultaneously on a single machine and that’s just what some new software from Parallels allows you to do.
Parallels Workstation 2.1 is a virtualization software, currently in beta testing, that enables users to run Windows, Linux and other operating systems alongside Mac OS X on an Intel-powered Apple computer.
Virtualization software enables users to run multiple operating systems, like Linux or Windows, in isolated ‘virtual machines’ directly on a Mac OS X desktop, giving users the ability to run programs that are only available on those operating systems, without having to give up the usability and functionality of their Mac OS X machine . Each virtual machine operates exactly like a stand-alone computer and contains its virtual hardware, including RAM, hard disk, processor, I/O ports, and CD/DVD-drives.
Benjamin Rudolph, Parallels Marketing Manager had this to tell us, “Parallels Workstation for MacOS X gives Mac users a viable virtualization solution that will let them embrace widely-used operating systems like Windows and Linux without having to give up the power, usability and familiarity of their Macintosh. This release underscores our commitment to building solutions that anyone, regardless of budget, technology savvy, or operating system can use to improve productivity and platform flexibility.�
The solution takes advantage of Apple’s inclusion of Intel Core Duo architected chips into all new Macintosh computer models. Because the Intel Core Duo chipset is x86-compatible, the Parallels virtualization engine can easily virtualize the hardware, thus enabling Macintosh users to build virtual machines running nearly any x86-compatible OS, including Windows 3.1-XP/2003, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS/2, eComStation, and MS-DOS.
Parallels say that their full support of Intel Virtualization Technology, which is included in most new Core Duo chipset, ensures that virtual machine performance is close to near-native and that each virtual machine is stable and completely isolated from other virtual machines and the host physical machine.
Get the software
Workstation 2.1 virtualization software for Linux and Windows-powered workstations, desktops and notebooks is already available and costs $49.99.
New and existing Parallels users can download and evaluate a free, fully-functional 30-day trial of Parallels Workstation 2.1 for Mac OS X at:

• www.parallels.com/download/mac
  

Beta users can submit comments, suggestions and feedback.
The GA (general availability) release of the product is expected in the next several weeks.
Apple users should be aware that the Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X works with any Intel-powered Apple computer running Mac OS 10.4.4 or higher. The product is not compatible with PowerPC-powered Apple computers. More information from:

• www.parallels.com
  
  
  

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