Compare Virtualization Software

If you want the best virtualization software for your home or office, a number of solutions are available in the market. But to choose from these solutions, you need to be able to compare two or more of them to get the solution that fits your requirement. In this article we go over the different types of requirements, and how to weigh or compare one Virtualisation Software against another when looking for a solution. We cover not solutions, but how to compare the solutions. In such comparison, we also mention different solutions as examples.

Desktop vs Server Software

A desktop Virtualization software is the one that you will use on your Windows, Linux or iMac home or office computers. Server solutions are the ones that are run on enterprise level server in data centers and such setups.

VMware dominates the market in both domains. Its VMware ESX Server is the solution of choice for Enterprise level, and its VMware Workstation is most popular in the Windows desktop platform.

Host and Guest Operating Systems

Virtualization consists of a host machine, over which is run the guest machine. The operating system running on the host machine is called the host operating system, and the one that runs on the guest machine is called the guest operating system.

Solutions are usually made for a particular configuration. For example, Xen is an open source solution that runs only Unix like systems as guests systems. But if the host microprocessor supports it, it can also run Microsoft Windows as a guest operating system.

Intel/AMD vs iMac Platform as Host CPU

Though two completely different companies, both Intel and AMD make microprocessors chips for the Windows platform. iMac on the other hand has its own proprietary microprocessor. Just like other applications, softwares that run on one platform may not run on the other. So when you are comparing, check out that their host platform is one that you will be using.

The best software in the x86, x86-64 platform are by VMware, whereas the best answer for the Apple Mac platform are by the company known as Parallels Inc, called Parallels Desktop.

These are some of the most complicated products in the IT domain. It stands to reason that their features and details are complicated too. I hope that the article has reduced the information gap a bit, and next time you can compare Virtualization Software well to get the best solution for your requirements.