Parallels says Virtuozzo Containers is different from traditional hardware virtualization solutions in that it dynamically partitions a single Windows or Linux operating system instance into highly efficient and scalable virtual environments or "containers." Parallels Virtuozzo also offers at least three times the density compared to other solutions, which enables data center managers to maximize the number of virtual containers within each physical server, says the company.

"The ever-changing needs of today's enterprise data centers call for a virtualization solution that is flexible and delivers high performance," says Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. "With the release of Parallels Virtuozzo Containers 4.0, we are launching the next wave of virtualization, including a suite of products that help IT administrators effectively manage their growing virtual infrastructures."

Parallels Virtuozzo Containers 4.0 offers several new options to drive uptime, such as Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat clustering services, architectural enhancements that provide even higher levels of stability and performance and Virtuozzo 4.0 also comes with Parallels Infrastructure Manager, a tool for managing the virtualized data center that enables IT administrators to efficiently manage their infrastructure from anywhere, says the company.

Last week, IT FACTORY selected Parallels' Virtuozzo Containers server virtualization software in its IT FACTORY platform-as-a-service offering.