Parallels Workstation is the first commercial software product released by Parallels, Inc.,? a developer of desktop and server virtualization? software. The Workstation software consists of a virtual machine suite for Intel? x86-compatible? computers (running Microsoft Windows? or Linux)? which allows the simultaneous creation and execution of multiple x86 virtual computers. The product is distributed as a download package.
On the Mac, the software is branded Parallels Desktop for Mac.?
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Implementation
{{Unreferenced|date=December 2006}} Like other virtualization software, Parallels Workstation uses hypervisor? technology, which is a thin software layer between Primary OS and host computer. The hypervisor directly controls some of the host machine's hardware resources and provides an interface to it for both virtual machine monitors and primary OS. This allows virtualization software to reduce overhead. Parallels Workstation's hypervisor also supports hardware virtualization technologies like Intel Virtualization Technology? ("VT") and AMD SVM (Secure Virtual Machine).
Functionalities
Parallels Workstation is a hardware emulation virtualization software, in which a virtual machine engine enables each virtual machine to work with its own processor,? RAM,? floppy drive,? CD drive,? I/O devices,? and hard disk? – everything a physical computer contains. Parallels Workstation 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.
Parallels Workstation is able to virtualize a full set of standard PC hardware, including:
- A Pentium? or AMD Duron? processor
- A generic motherboard? compatible with Intel? i815 chipset
- Up to 1.5GB of RAM? (even though the real i815 only supports 512 MB)
- 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.
- An AC97? compatible sound card.
- A 104-key Windows enhanced keyboard and a PS/2 wheel mouse.
Mac OS X
{{main|Parallels Desktop for Mac}}
Except for the name, the current Mac version (build 1970) is functionally identical to current Linux and Windows products. However, in beta, there have been new features added exclusively to Parallels Desktop for Mac which differentiate the product from its "Workstation" counterparts.
Initially, the software was released for the Mac as “Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X,” consistent with the Linux and Windows versions.{{cite web |title=Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X is now Parallels Desktop for Mac—and the release candidate is ready for download! |url=http://parallelsvirtualization.blogspot.com/2006/05/parallels-workstation-for-mac-os-x-is.html |author=Ben |work=The Official Parallels Virtualization Blog |date=2006-05-18 |accessdate=2006-09-26}} 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. 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.”
Current Issues
- Can only run on 32 bit Primary 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.
- Does not include an out-of-the-box Physical to Virtual (P2V) migration utility.
- Supported memory limit for all virtual machines is 4 GB, and memory limit for a single virtual machine is 1500 MB.
- In practical terms, Parallels has not yet fulfilled its promises of full USB 1.1, 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{{fact}}. The support team has promised to fix some of these issues, but has not indicated when users can expect a fix.