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====Guest OSes====
====Guest OSes====
Desktop supports running a wide variety of guest operating systems. It will run all but 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows, various Linux distributions, FreeBSB, eComStation, OS/2, Solaris and MS-DOS. There are likely to be others, so long as the OS will run on a virtualised Intel x-86 guest processor.
Desktop supports running a wide variety of guest operating systems. It will run all but 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows, various Linux distributions, FreeBSD, eComStation, OS/2, Solaris and MS-DOS. There are likely to be others, so long as the OS will run on a virtualised Intel x-86 guest processor.


==Beta==
==Beta==

Revision as of 06:27, 4 January 2007

Parallels Desktop for Mac
Developer(s)Parallels, Inc.
Stable release
2.2 (Build 1970) / November 1, 2006
Preview release
3.0 Beta 3 (build 3106) / December 30, 2006
Operating systemMac OS X
PlatformMacintel
TypeVirtual machine
LicenseProprietary
Website[1]

Parallels Desktop for Mac is a software product by Parallels, Inc., a developer of desktop and server virtualization software. It is the first software suite to bring virtualization mainstream on Macintosh computers with Intel processors. The product is distributed as a download package via the Parallels web-site, or it can be purchased through Apple from their online store or retail shops.

Parallels, Inc. also offers a Parallels Workstation for computers using Microsoft Windows or Linux.

Overview

File:ParallelsVT.png
Diagram of how Parallels utilises a hypervisor layer.

Parallels Desktop for Mac is a hardware emulation virtualization software, using hypervisor technology that works by mapping the host computer’s hardware resources directly to the virtual machine’s resources, allowing each virtual machine to operate identically to a standalone computer. Each virtual machine effectively has its own processor, RAM, floppy and CD drives, I/O devices, and hard disk—all the resources of a physical computer[1]. Parallels Desktop for Mac virtualizes all devices within the virtual environment, including the video adapter, network adapter, and hard disk adapters. It also provides pass-through drivers for parallel port and USB devices.

Because all guest virtual machines use the same hardware drivers irrespective of the actual hardware on the host computer, virtual machine instances are highly portable between computers. For example, a running virtual machine can be stopped, copied to another physical computer, and restarted.

Features

Parallels Desktop for Mac is able to virtualize a full set of standard PC hardware, including [2]

  • A virtualized processor of the Host computer
  • A generic motherboard compatible with Intel i815 chipset
  • Up to 1.5GB of RAM for 32-bit guest virtual machines
  • Up to 32MB of video RAM (VRAM) will be offered in version 3.
  • VGA and SVGA video cards with VESA 3.0 support
  • A 1.44 MB floppy drive, which can be mapped to a physical drive or to an image file.
  • Up to four IDE devices. This includes virtual hard drives that range in size from 20 MB to 128 GB each and CD/DVD-ROM drives. IDE devices can be mapped to physical drive or to an image file.
  • Up to four serial ports that can be mapped to a real port, to a pipe or to an output file.
  • Up to three bi-directional parallel ports, each of which can be mapped to a real port, to a real printer or to an output file.
  • An Ethernet virtual network card compatible with Realtek RTL8029(AS).
  • 2-port USB 1.1 controller. (USB 2.0 functionality has been added to the Macintosh version in the publicly available Beta builds of Parallels version 3.0)[3]
  • An AC97 compatible sound card.
  • A 104-key Windows enhanced keyboard and a PS/2 wheel mouse.

Supported OSes

Primary OS

Desktop needs to be installed on Mac OS X “Tiger” 10.4.6 or higher running on an Intel-powered Mac. Parallels also claims full compatibility for the not yet released Mac OS X "Leopard" 10.5.

Guest OSes

Desktop supports running a wide variety of guest operating systems. It will run all but 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows, various Linux distributions, FreeBSD, eComStation, OS/2, Solaris and MS-DOS. There are likely to be others, so long as the OS will run on a virtualised Intel x-86 guest processor.

Beta

Except for the name, the current Mac version (build 1970) is functionally identical to current Linux and Windows versions of Parallels Workstation. However, in beta, there have been a few new features added exclusively to Parallels Desktop for Mac.

Support for USB 2.0 devices has been added, which expands the amount of USB devices supported at native speed. Users can now adjust the amount of video RAM allocated to the guest OS, up to 32MB. Full featured CD/DVD drives have appeared in the latest betas, which allows the user to burn disks directly in the virtual environment, and play any copy-protected CD or DVD as one would in OS X. Also a new feature known as Coherence has been added, which basically removes Windows chrome, desktop, and the virtualization frame, creating a more seamless environment between Windows and OS X applications. In addition, a shared clipboard and drag-drop support between OS X and the guest OS have been implemented. The newest beta can boot existing Boot Camp partitions, which will eliminate the need to have multiple Windows XP installations on a Mac. Finally, a transporter tool is included which allows one to migrate their Windows PC, or existing VMware or Virtual PC VMs to Parallels Desktop for Mac.

Criticisms

Some of the issues listed below have been dealt with in the beta releases.

  • Can only run 32-bit OSes.
  • Inability to assign multiple CPUs to your virtual machine to gain additional performance for CPU-intensive workloads.
  • DVD/CD-ROM "pass-through" access has not been implemented, which means that it is impossible to use DVD and CD burners exclusively in guest virtual machines. While this is true in terms of the current general release for Mac (build 1970), the latest beta builds have implemented this technology.[3]
  • Does not include an out-of-the-box Physical to Virtual (P2V) migration utility. However, this tool is now included with the beta releases and is called "transporter".
  • Supported memory limit for all virtual machines is 4 GB, and memory limit for a single virtual machine is 1.5GB. It should be noted that the RAM limitation has been raised on 64-bit iMac's and Mac Pro towers to 16GB. Further, there's no longer the 1.5GB RAM limit on single virtual machines on the 64-bit iMac or Mac Pro Towers.


Parallels has not yet fulfilled its promises of full USB 1.1 and iSight support, hampering many users' experience of the software. Devices like USB mice, memory keys, webcams and cellular phones are frequently cited as not working correctly on the company's support forum.[citation needed] The support team has promised to fix some of these issues, but has not indicated when users can expect a fix.

Windows Vista

Support for virtualising versions of Windows Vista RC2 and beyond has been added to Parallels Desktop for Mac. However, the drag and drop feature introduced in their latest beta is not yet working in Vista. It's also unknown if Vista's 'Aero Glass' interface will ever be supported. Though Parallel's public relations has stated that it will be included in the next version[4].

Trivia

Initially, the software was released for the Mac as “Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X,” consistent with the Linux and Windows versions.[5] This was not well received within the Mac community, where some felt that the name, particularly the term “workstation,” evoked the aesthetics of a Windows product.[5] Parallels agreed: “[S]ince we've got a great Mac product, we should make it look and sound like a Mac product... the result is ‘Parallels Desktop for Mac’. We're really pleased with the new name, and we hope that you are, too.”[5]

According to the PR chief of Parallels Software, the next version of Parallels Desktop for Mac is expected to support DirectX and OpenGL integration. This will allow Mac users to play Windows games under OS X without switching back to Bootcamp.[6]


See also

General articles

Articles on specific related products

External links

References

  1. ^ "Parallels Desktop for Mac Datasheet" (PDF). Parallels, Inc. Retrieved 2007-01-02.
  2. ^ "Parallels Desktop for Mac". Parallels, Inc. Retrieved 2007-01-02.
  3. ^ a b "Parallels Desktop for Mac version 3 Beta". Parallels. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  4. ^ "Vista Beta 2 in Parallels". Parallels Virtualisation Blog. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  5. ^ a b c Ben (2006-05-18). "Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X is now Parallels Desktop for Mac—and the release candidate is ready for download!". The Official Parallels Virtualization Blog. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
  6. ^ Wang, Anthony (2006-12-11). "Inside Mac Games Interviews Parallels". Inside Mac Games. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
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