Parallels Desktop Now Supports OS X 10.6.3 Server Guests

Parallels Inc. has released a new version of its powerful virtualization software for Mac OS X, Parallels Desktop 5.0.9344. Arriving with a long list of changes, the new release adds Google Chrome OS support, an improved overall performance, enhanced compatibility with Cisco VPN and other compatibility fixes, as well as an improved performance of virtual machines with Mac OS X Server v10.6.3 and v10.6.2 guest operating systems installed.

As revealed by its makers in December 2009, Parallels Desktop 5 is up to 300% faster for virtual machine operations than the previous version (Parallels Desktop 4). Tested against the industry standard 3Dmark 2006 Professional suite, the new version performed up to seven times better, graphically speaking. The major release fixed stability issues in virtual machines with Parallels Internet Security installed on Nehalem-based iMac and Mac Pro, and improved performance of Windows virtual machines.

Standing on its shoulders, Parallels Desktop for Mac 5.0.9344 now brings Google Chrome OS support, the people at Parallels have revealed. As fans of the Chrome web browser should know, Google is actively developing an Internet-oriented operating system bearing the Chrome label. Appropriately dubbed Chrome OS, the operating system will feature key aspects like speed, simplicity, and security, according to Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management at Google.

As far as the overall performance is concerned, Parallels Desktop for Mac 5.0.9344 boasts the improved performance of the WDDM driver, the improved performance of virtual machines with Mac OS X Server v10.6.3 and v10.6.2 guests, and fixes compatibility issues with Parallels Internet Security installed on virtual machines running on Nehalem-based iMac and Mac Pro, to name a few changes. Other highlights for this version include:

- In a clean installation of Windows XP, My Computer opens without delay.
- Waking Mac OS from sleep doesn't affect the Coherence performance.
- Improved virtual hard disk caching mode.
- Spotlight indexing enabled in Mac OS can no longer influence Boot Camp virtual machines' booting speed.

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