Mac Server Virtualization: Hot or Not?

If you’re an SMB running mainly Macintosh hardware — get in touch with us. We’d love to know how you operate. We know it’s a niche, but we’ve got Mac OS X Server on the mind now that Parallels Server for Mac 4 has arrived. It apparently features some speed boosts and better reliability in the virtual environment. But are virtualized Mac servers really a trend? Read on for the details…

Parallels claims they’re the only virtualization solution ‘optimized’ for Mac OS X Server, and cites their enhanced Apple server hardware support, along with centralized web-based management and expanded host and guest support, as some of the high points of its flexibility specifically for SMBs.

Parallels claims Server 4 ‘consolidates’ multiple operating systems (on to one server) allowing for less physical space (e.g. less hardware), power consumption and administration skills for server management.

There’s now also guest and host support for Snow Leopard VMs as well as guest support for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2. Naturally, there’s Apple xSAN support, VLANS, backups, migrations, and express Windows and Linux guest installs. And as a Mac user, if you felt slighted in the past — all of Parallels virtual Automation features are available in Server 4.

Right now, the price tag starts at $1,999 USD, but if you’re an existing Parallels Server for Mac 3 customer, who’s also a maintenance customer, the upgrade comes at no cost. A non-maintenance customer will be offered a special ‘limited’ offer for upgrade, and all upgrades, are available now.

You can read the press release here (whenever Parallels updates their page…), and read up on Parallels Server for Mac in the meantime.

In recent weeks, we’ve been watching a virtualization showdown between Red Hat vs. Novell and VMware. But none of that chatter involved Mac OS X Server. We wonder if Mac OS X Server is a growing virtualization opportunity — or a mere niche that Parallels can fill on its own…

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