Parallels introduces Desktop 4 for Windows and Linux

Desktop 4 allows users to move virtual machines between Macs and PCs running Windows or Linux

Parallels is converging its PC and Mac virtualisation platforms with the launch of Desktop 4 for Windows and Linux, a tool that will enable users to move virtual machines between Macs and PCs running Windows or Linux.

Available from 1 September, Desktop 4 is the successor to Parallels Workstation 2.2 for Windows and Linux, but borrows many of the features of the company's Desktop for Mac 4.0 product that lets Apple users run Windows applications, hence the name change.

"We've changed the architecture to match the Mac product," said David Abramowski, director of business and consumer marketing for Parallels.

In particular, this means that the new product has the Coherence feature from Desktop for Mac, under which applications inside a virtual machine appear to be running on the host operating system, so that users need not care whether an application is for Windows or Linux.

"We believe that users should be able to seamlessly interact with applications no matter what the platform," said Abramowski.

Parallels is including some handy tools with Desktop 4 for Windows and Linux, such as its Transporter utility that converts an existing computer into a virtual machine, and can also convert VMware or Microsoft virtual machines to run under Desktop 4.

An Image tool lets users change the size of the virtual disk associated with virtual machines, and can even merge split disks into one, according to Abramowski. Users can also specify whether a USB device can be used by the host operating system or a particular virtual machine.

A snapshot manager is included that can automatically image the state of a virtual machine at regular intervals, allowing it to be rolled back to any earlier point.

Parallels said that its online directory will offer ready-built virtual appliances that customers can download, while Desktop 4 will allow pre-configured virtual machine templates to be shared.

Desktop 4 for Windows and Linux requires an Intel or AMD processor with hardware virtualisation support and at least 2GB memory (4GB recommended).

Host operating systems supported include Windows Vista and XP SP3, with experimental support for Windows 7. Supported Linux hosts include Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.3, Suse Linux 11, Debain 5.0 and Ubuntu 9.04.

Guest operating systems for virtual machines include all those mentioned, plus Windows 2000 SP4.

Desktop 4 for Windows and Linux supports virtual machines with up to eight virtual CPUs, 8GB of virtual memory, hard disks up to 2TB, and up to 16 virtual network adapters.

The retail price of Desktop 4 for Windows and Linux is £54.99, with upgrades from Parallels Workstation 2.2 costing £34.99.