Parallels Workstation - Overview

Professional-grade Virtualization for PCs 

Simultaneously run a wide variety of Windows versions, Linux distributions, web stacks, database configurations, and multi-tier cloud environments on a single PC with the power and performance you need for web development, QA testing, product demonstrations, and more.

Simplify your routine
Improve your productivity and the way you work everyday so that you can focus on your job, not on your virtualization software. Easily move a physical machine to a virtual machine using Parallels Transporter, an integrated tool to make migrating to a VM a snap.  Brilliantly handle USB devices, easily configure virtual networking, and automate routine tasks. Improve your user experience with the ability to move between environments, share files, cut and paste information and even drag and drop between Windows systems. 

Flexible management on the go
Manage and interact with virtual machines the way you want including: locally, remotely or when you are on the go with the Parallels Mobile app for iPad and iPhone. Parallels Mobile lets you roam the office and beyond with network-based connectivity to your Parallels virtual machines. If you're already using Parallels Management Console to manage your servers, extend your remote control capabilities to your desktops.

Discover Parallels Workstation

Parallels Workstation is a commercially supported solution that lets you run multiple operating systems at the same time on Windows and Linux PCs with the simplicity and flexibility required by small businesses and other developement professionals.  

Parallels Workstation is used by web developers, QA teams, system administrators and technologists making it easier for them to evaluate, test and demonstrate applications on a wide variety of platforms and configurations.   

Professional-grade Virtualization for PCs
Professionals like you need the ability to quickly clone or create new virtual machines, install operating systems, change configurations on the fly, constrain OSes and their applications and even isolate environments from the host.  

Top Features Include:   

• The Parallels Fastlane virtualization architecture powers millions of virtual environments worldwide across a wide variety of hardware platforms. 
• Virtual machine configurations support up to 8vCPUs and 8GB RAM with up to 16 virtual NICs. 
• Define and constrain Virtual Machines to pre-determined resource allocations to ensure host OS performance. 
• Quickly isolate a virtual machine from the host computer. 
• Run virtual machines at maximum performance with support for Intel’s latest virtualization technologies VT-x2 (VPIDs, EPS and FlexPriority) as well as support for AMDs Speed boost, RVI and ASIDs.  
• Take advantage of legacy hardware with Controlled Native Execution (CNE) providing virtualization without hardware assisted support.  
• Prevent prying eyes by encrypting virtual machines.

Simplify Your Routine
Improve your productivity by interacting across environments, streamlining routine activities and pre-configuring routine administrative tasks.  

Top Features Include:  

• Quickly bring physical machines in to virtual machines using Parallels Transporter, an integrated tool that makes going from physical to virtual a snap.
• Seamlessly move between virtual environments with SmartMouse features, adaptive hypervisor, cut and paste capabilities, shared folders and Windows drag and drop capabilities. 
• Support up to eight USB 1.1 and eight USB 2.0 devices per VM with the ability to automatically assign recognized devices to their proper environments. Automate the default assignment of newly discovered devices or instruct the software to request input from the user. 
• Integrates applications running in guest environments with the host desktop via Coherence mode for easy access via the host desktop.
• Support multiple displays and specify the mouse flow order with display manager.
• Smartguard automates scheduled snapshots and SmartMount automates attaching storage devices and storage volumes for use with virtual machines. 
• Undo disks option returns virtual machines to their original starting state after each session reducing setup time for labs, test configuration and what-if analysis. 
• Print from virtual machines to shared printers, network printers, USB printers and LPT ports. 

Flexible Management on the Go
Step away from your desk and still have the ability to administer, monitor and access running virtual machines from other computers as well as mobile devices. 

Top Features Include:

• If you're already using Parallels Management Console to manage your servers, extend that control to your desktop virtual machines as well.
• Interact with the applications and desktops of Parallels Workstation virtual machines through the Parallels Mobile app for iPad and iPhone. 
• Easily migrate physical computers or third party virtual machines with Parallels Transporter. 
• Configure virtual machines to automatically start with a re-boot of the host computer or startup of Parallels Workstation. 

Media Contact

• John Uppendahl
• +1 425 282 1734
• juppendahl@parallels.com

Outside of the USA, please find your local press contact here.

Press Release

Parallels Workstation 6 Gives Web Designers and IT Professionals Seamless Capabilities for Running Multiple Operating Systems – Including Windows 8 – on a Single PC

System Requirements

The hardware requirements for Parallels Workstation are:

Requirements

Hardware

• Minimum 1.66 GHz x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) CPU.
• To run 64-bit guest operating systems, a processor that supports the Intel VT-x hardware virtualization technology is recommended but not required.
  • The support for Intel VT-x and VT-d may be disabled by default in some computers that actually support them. To enable these features, in most cases enter BIOS, go to System Settings > Virtualization Support, and select the Enable Intel Virtualization and Enable Intel VT for Direct I/O check boxes. For detailed information on enabling the Intel VT-x and VT-d features in BIOS, refer to the OEM supplier's documentation.
• 2 GB RAM minimum. 4 GB RAM or more is recommended.
• 350 MB of hard disk space for the Parallels Workstation installation.
• 30-60 GB of available hard disk space for each virtual machine.
• DVD-ROM drive.
• Ethernet network adapter.

Supported Host Operating Systems

32-bit:

 

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista SP1, SP2
• Windows XP Pro SP3
• Windows XP Home SP3
• Debian 6.0
• Fedora 14, 15
• RHEL 6, 6.1
• SLED 11 SP1
• Ubuntu 10.10, 11.04

 

64-bit:

 

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista SP1, SP2
• Windows XP Pro SP2
• Debian 6.0
• Fedora 14, 15
• RHEL 6, 6.1
• SLED 11 SP1
• Ubuntu 10.10, 11.04