VMware to Offer Virtualization for Mac

Virtualization software provider VMware released a public beta of its software for Intel-based Macs on Thursday, code-named "Fusion."

Like Parallels, the software enables users to run a host of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, NetWare and Solaris, without the need to reboot.

Currently, Mac OS X users running Apple's Boot Camp must reboot their machines in order to use the Windows platform on Intel Macs. For the time being, that is the only OS supported by the platform.

While Apple says technology from Boot Camp would be integrated into the next version of Mac OS X, code named "Leopard," not many details have been provided as to how virtualization would play a part in it.

Thus, companies like Parallels and now VMware have stepped in to provide virtualization capabilities. The implementations have even gained an endorsement of sorts from Apple itself: Parallels' software was highlighted in one of the company's new "Get a Mac" commercials.

Fusion would allow for the user to run either 32-bit or 64-bit x86 operating systems on Mac OS X without the need to reboot. In addition, support for multi-core systems would allow the user to assign multiple processors to a virtual machine for better performance.

"It is built on VMware's rock-solid and advanced desktop virtualization platform that is used by over four million users today," the company says in the description of the product.

Support for USB 2.0 devices as well as the capability to use devices that may not have drivers for Mac specifically are also included. Fusion additionally supports drag and drop file management between Mac OS and any of the virtual machines.

Fusion is available for download from the VMware Web site.