Citrix brings another Virtualization option to the Mac Platform

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May 11, 2009
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Citrix (via MacRumors) demonstrated a new version of its Virtualization software for the Mac Platform this week.  As a background, Citrix has had Windows client software for the Macintosh since OS9 which allows you to login to a Windows box somewhat like VNC.  They've also built an iPhone client for this functionality which we covered last year.

This new virtual machine software they've produced for the Mac is much like VMWare Fusion or Parallels in functionality but operates on a lower level, letting the Windows partition have native access to hardware like the 3D card, thereby theoretically giving you Boot Camp performance in a virtual machine.  Citrix is enterprise player so they haven't really explored the usage for gaming.

There is a quick demo below.  You'll want to head to the 42:30 marker for the "One More Thing".

This is also interesting because it makes a virtual machine out of the MacOS called "Type 1 hypervisor".  While initially you might consider that only MacOSX Server is allowed to be virtualized, Citrix is able to circumvent this restriction by running the virtualized MacOSX on Apple Hardware.  IT still seems like a gray area to us.  We'll see how/if Apple responds.

Interestingly, you could theoretically use this software as another way to run MacOS on PC Hardware.

Comments (6)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | May 11, 2009 - 7:38am

Too bad it's probably going to cost way too much for consumers. Seems like a mass-license, big business thing to me.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | May 11, 2009 - 8:47am

Interesting, I just wonder where 9to5 gets all these extra informations from, since in that video nothing about this is mentioned.. crystal ball?

Derry Quinn (not verified) | May 11, 2009 - 8:51am

IT'S PRONOUNCED OS "TEN"!!!

I refuse to believe that this was his little secret project if he didn't know that.

nnNnn (not verified) | May 12, 2009 - 2:24am

Well, it is a pretty damn attractive operating system, I think it'd be appropriate for him to pronounce it "oh a sex".

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | May 11, 2009 - 9:53am

When a developer doesn't even know it's pronounced OS TEN, that tells me how credible he is. I bet this was his first time even holding a mac.

RodP (not verified) | May 11, 2009 - 12:02pm

This could be the jump over the biggest hurdle we have for running SolidWorks on a Mac without the annoying re-boot. My $$$ are ready, Citrix. Gimme.