Parallels says it's extending its server virtualization offerings for Apple environments with the introduction of the world’s first bare metal hypervisor solution for the Apple Xserve: Parallels Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition.

The new edition offers greater performance for applications running in virtual machines on the Xserve, enabling businesses to standardize on the Apple platform, and opening a new opportunity for cloud services providers to offer profitable Mac OS X services, according to Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. The addition of Parallels Virtual Automation provides comprehensive management tools for monitoring and maintaining the virtual environment.
 
Parallels Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition builds on Parallels’ virtualization portfolio for Apple environments, most notably the existing server virtualization solution, Parallels Server for Mac.  Launched in June 2008, Parallels Server for Mac brought virtualization to the Apple Xserve for the first time. The new edition builds on this with a new architecture that represents the first ever “bare metal” hypervisor for Intel-powered Apple systems, offering users the ability to migrate systems without needing to go completely offline (“hot migration”).
 
Hypervisor server virtualization enables users to create multiple simultaneously executing, isolated virtual machines on the same physical server, each of which runs its own operating system. With Parallels Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition users can run Windows, Linux and Mac OSX operating systems side-by-side. 

Beloussov says that Parallels Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition is not only suitable for on-premise deployments; it also represents an opportunity for cloud services providers to diversify their offerings into new growth areas, capitalizing on Apple’s increasing popularity. The new solution integrates seamlessly with Parallels other technologies, creating an easy addition to existing Parallels environments, he adds. For Parallels’ service provider partners, this means they can quickly and easily offer profitable Mac OS X services, including Virtual Private Servers and application hosting as a cloud service.
 
What's more, hosting company Go Daddy has announced plans to offer Mac OS X services based on virtual private servers built on Parallels Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition. Further info on the features and capabilities of Parallels Server for Mac Bare Metal Edition is available at www.parallels.com/products/server/mac .