Parallels Cloud Server 6.0 Overview

Parallels Cloud Server 6.0 allows you to simultaneously run multiple Parallels virtual machines and Containers on a single physical server. Using this software, you can efficiently use your server's hardware resources by sharing them among virtual machines and Containers.

Graphically, a server with the Parallels Cloud Server software installed can be represented as follows:

At the base resides server hardware. Next is the Parallels Cloud Server software which is installed directly on the server hardware and does not need any operating system for its functioning. Parallels Cloud Server includes two virtualization layers:

• Hardware virtualization layer . This layer provides the necessary environment for creating and managing Parallels virtual machines.
• OS virtualization layer . This layer provides the necessary environment for creating and managing Parallels Containers.

For more information on both layers, see OS Virtualization Layer and Hardware Virtualization Layer .

Effectively uniting both virtualization technologies, Parallels Cloud Server provides the best value for cost conscious organizations enabling them to:

• standardize server hardware platforms
• effectively consolidate server resources
• consolidate and support legacy OSs and applications
• streamline server and application deployment, maintenance, and management
• simplify software testing and development
• optimize server and application availability

You can use the following tools to manage virtual machines and Containers:

• Command line interface (CLI) . A set of Parallels command line utilities and can be used to manage virtual machines and Containers both locally and remotely.
• Parallels Virtual Automation . A tool for managing physical servers, Containers, and virtual machines with the help of a standard Web browser on any platform.