Mac OS X gets first open source virtualization tool

Sun has released a major update to its open source desktop virtualization tool xVM VirtualBox, adding support for Mac OS X and Solaris host operating systems, in addition to other improvements.

Software makers such as Parallels have been making Mac OS X virtualization software for some time, but Sun is the first to release an open source virtualization product for the platform.

Virtualization technology allows several operating systems to run at the same time on a single physical host. VirtualBox runs as an application on a host operating system, on top of which various guest OSs can execute.

The software was originally developed by Germany-based Innotek, which was acquired by Sun in February. It competes with a range of virtualization competitors, including market leader VMware.

The free, open-source version is available for download, and Sun also sells a version under a proprietary license with additional features such as USB support and a Remote Display Protocol (RDP) server.

The proprietary version is also available as a free download, but only for personal use; business users must purchase licenses.

Besides support for Solaris and Mac OS X as hosts, VirtualBox 1.6 integrates the windowing mechanism for Linux and Solaris guests, adds a programming interface for Web services and adds a controller for Sata hard disks, among other features, Sun said.

Solaris is supported as a guest OS, but Mac OS X is not yet supported as a guest, Sun said. Other guests supported include Windows and a number of versions of Linux and Unix, while supported hosts include Linux, Windows and experimental support for OS/2 Warp.