Parallels Server 3.0 Beta4 Build 1990 is available!

[Andrew @ Parallels]

Dear Beta Testers,

Parallels Server 3.0 Beta4 Build 1990 is available for download:
http://www.parallels.com/en/download/server/

=== What's New ===

* Virtualization Engine
** Guest Mac OS X Leopard Server support (on top of Mac OS X Leopard Server only)
** General performance improvement
** Virtual machine density improvement

* Virtual devices
** Networking performance improvement

* Server Infrastructure and User interface
** Separate installer for Parallels Management Console for Linux included
** Separate installer for Parallels SDK included

=== Known Issues ===

- Windows 2003 guest OS may hang if run in PAE mode on AMD SVM-enabled host
- Guest OS asks "Installation Disk #1 (SCSIadapter)" when installing SCSI
drivers from "drivers.fdd"
- Windows Vista finds two compatible SCSI drivers during the installation on
SCSI HDD, but only one driver is needed for the installation
- RHEL 5.1 guest OS cannot be installed on SCSI HDD due to unsupported SCSI
controller
- CD-ROM cannot be burned from Windows XP 64bit guest OS

[cammj]

Will leopard on leopard client ever be supported?

[tacit_one]

Will leopard on leopard client ever be supported?

This is a limitation of Apple EULA - it explicitly allows virtualization of Mac OS X Server (only) 10.5 on Apple- branded hardware.

Read the following:
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/do...xserver105.pdf

2. Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.

A. Mac OS X Server Software. This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Mac OS X Server software (the “Mac OS X Server Software”) on a single Apple-labeled computer. You may also install and use other copies of Mac OS X Server Software on the same Apple- labeled computer, provided that you acquire an individual and valid license from Apple for each of these other copies of Mac OS X Server Software.

So the question your have is more like: "Is Apple going to change EULA" ?

[cammj]

i was more referring to virtualising leopard server on leopard client, as far as i can see this isnt against the EULA?

[tacit_one]

i was more referring to virtualising leopard server on leopard client, as far as i can see this isnt against the EULA?

According to the current EULA - users can virtualize MacOS X 10.5 Server on top of MacOS X 10.5 Server only. That's the way current EULA is written.

[boompxe]

always welcome new betas.
i hope you have fixed the the vm tools display adapter bug in the vm core in this release for vista/w2k8.


greetings,

[fromans]

I notice this beta still will not allow CPU's that do not support hardware virtualization. My test servers do not have this enabled, and have not worked since beta 2 was released and "broke" them. Will Parallels ever support hardware that is not quite new, but not that old either? I don't have any problems using VMware server on this same hardware. Let me reiterate, I have not been able to do ANY testing since beta 1 because of this.

[chris e boy]

Are you going to release a new beta of the bare metal version? The download still takes me to 1873.

[jez]

What's the easiest way to update a Bare metal version? Do I have to boot off the DVD and "upgrade"? Is there any way to update from the server itself by way of an update application?

[Lukasha]

According to the current EULA - users can virtualize MacOS X 10.5 Server on top of MacOS X 10.5 Server only. That's the way current EULA is written.

Okay, really silly question and I'm sure you've already done this, but hey, I gotta ask. That may indeed be how the EULA is written, but have you asked Apple directly about it? They've been known to be sloppy on their EULA's before. In fact, wasn't there a minor gaffe recently where the EULA for one of their Windows softwares had the Mac version of the EULA which said it couldn't be run on non-Apple hardware. So if you haven't checked already, would it be possible to double-check with Apple to ensure that is what they meant or whether it will be possible to run OS X Server inside of Parallels Server running on Leopard Client on Apple Hardware. Because as a sysadmin who has to test various things constantly, I don't want to have to leave my main machine (Mac Pro running Leopard client) to run my tests, or devote another machine to server just to run tests with more copies of server running emulated. AFAIK there's no limitations to running other server OSs emulated on a client OS.

Jeff

[tacit_one]

That may indeed be how the EULA is written, but have you asked Apple directly about it?

Yes we did. And the restrictions that are now exist in the product based on those talks.

[boompxe]

well the 1990 build of the bare metal server isnt up yet. when will it come ?

[Lukasha]

Yes we did. And the restrictions that are now exist in the product based on those talks.

Okay, bummer. Thanks for letting us know. I have no problem with them wanting to restrict their OS from being run on non-Apple hardware, but I think it's kind of ridiculous for them to restrict running Server to only running on Server.

[jthemovie]

but I think it's kind of ridiculous for them to restrict running Server to only running on Server

Totally agree,
If i want a virtualized server, it's because i wan't to try the behavior with mac osx on my mbp, so how i'm supposed to do when i work at home or anywhere else if i can't have at the same time, a server and a workgroup machine ?
Useless ... that's too bad, hope the EULA will change

[pcman]

Dear Beta Testers,

Parallels Desktop 3.0 Beta4 Build 1990 is available for download:
http://www.parallels.com/en/download/server/

I accessed the website you provide, but the file name is still beta3 .....no 3.0.1900

http:// dd1.parallels.com/ul/jI77QfaykZJ0dZemmL)EFbMklsGmmkr6tVex5anunUI/sumer/beta3/parallels-server-284-3.0.1873.50919-x86_64.iso .....

should I won the iPhone ?

[jcwelch]

You know, looking at the EULA, it doesn't say anything about what the base OS is. That is:

"A. Mac OS X Server Software. This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Mac OS X Server software (the “Mac OS X Server Software”) on a single Apple-labeled computer. You may also install and use other copies of Mac OS X Server Software on the same Apple-labeled computer, provided that you acquire an individual and valid license from Apple for each of these other copiApple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so. "

There's nothing in that, in any form that says "YOu can only run Mac OS X Server ON Mac OS X Server ON Appl hardware." Just that you can ONLY run Mac OS X Server on Apple hardware, which does leave open, and happily so, the option to run Mac OS X Server on the bare metal Parallels server on Apple Hardware, thereby complying with the EULA, and giving Mac OS X Server in a VM much better performance.

[Eru Ithildur]

I wonder if you could play a game like what used to be done with OEM software... Through a stick of Apple RAM or an Apple HD or something else incompatible so that the Server would be running on Apple Hardware. It would be ridiculous if Apple actually banned the running with the interaction with other hardware. Just a thought.

[daveschroeder]

You know, looking at the EULA, it doesn't say anything about what the base OS is. That is:

"A. Mac OS X Server Software. This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Mac OS X Server software (the “Mac OS X Server Software”) on a single Apple-labeled computer. You may also install and use other copies of Mac OS X Server Software on the same Apple-labeled computer, provided that you acquire an individual and valid license from Apple for each of these other copiApple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so."

There's nothing in that, in any form that says "YOu can only run Mac OS X Server ON Mac OS X Server ON Appl hardware." Just that you can ONLY run Mac OS X Server on Apple hardware, which does leave open, and happily so, the option to run Mac OS X Server on the bare metal Parallels server on Apple Hardware, thereby complying with the EULA, and giving Mac OS X Server in a VM much better performance.

Actually, it does say exactly what the base OS is:

This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Mac OS X Server software (the “Mac OS X Server Software”) on a single Apple-labeled computer. You may also install and use other copies of Mac OS X Server Software on the same Apple-labeled computer [where "the same Apple-labeled computer" is the computer that is running the "Mac OS X Server software" from the previous sentence].

This has been discussed extensively in various forums, particularly the MacEnterprise.org mailing list, and it is NOT at all clear that a bare metal VM solution is allowed (though it may be that Apple will bless this option). Currently, the only way Mac OS X Server is allowed in the context of the current EULA is on top of Mac OS X Server.

[daveschroeder]

I wonder if you could play a game like what used to be done with OEM software... Through a stick of Apple RAM or an Apple HD or something else incompatible so that the Server would be running on Apple Hardware. It would be ridiculous if Apple actually banned the running with the interaction with other hardware. Just a thought.

No, this doesn't work like it did with the Microsoft OEM situation. The Microsoft OEM situation eventually shook out to technically being tied to the hard drive (and that was because Microsoft allowed it, not because a court decided it).

In the case of Apple, if it came down to it, it would almost certainly be deemed to be tied to the logic board at a minimum (and probably the logic board + enclosure), and Apple would NOT allow any such support of any Mac OS X/Mac OS X Server OS on non-Apple hardware. It's not an issue of Parallels being able to support it technically; Apple will NOT allow this, and Parallels as a responsible partner with Apple on this front will comply with Apple's wishes.

There may be a day when Apple officially and in a supported fashion allows virtualization of Mac OS X Server on enterprise virtualization products not running on Apple hardware, but that day is not today (note: this will NEVER happen with Mac OS X non-Server, as long as the current leadership and business model for Apple hardware and software is in place).

[Eru Ithildur]

Hey Dave, good points made regarding the EULA. I didn't follow things as closely as I could have, clarifications to both posts are appreciated.