Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0 Hypervisor Adds 64-bit Support, Bolsters Performance

Sun Microsystems this week rolled out version 2.0 of its xVM VirtualBox. The product is a cross-platform, open source hypervisor that supports hosts ranging from Mac OS X and Windows to Solaris and 18 varieties of Linux.

According to Sun, the software in all versions has surpassed 6.5 million downloads worldwide, averaging about 15,000 per day. Sun acquired VirtualBox when the company bought out German software developer innotek.

VirtualBox runs on Mac OS X (Intel hardware), Linux, Windows and OpenSolaris. It's available from Sun in two editions: standard and open source. Both are free.

New in version 2.0 is support for 64-bit versions of various operating systems, plus overall performance improvements, especially on AMD chips according to Sun. Other specifics include improved networking on Mac OS X and Solaris, as well as a new user interface for Mac OS X. A complete list of features can be found here.

While VirtualBox is free, Sun offers a new enterprise subscription to provide support for business users.

"Virtual desktops, such as those provided by the xVM VirtualBox software, are the future of business desktops because they are more flexible, manageable and secure than traditional PC architectures," said Steve Wilson, vice president, xVM, Sun Microsystems, in a statement released Thursday. "Enterprises will be thrilled with the xVM VirtualBox platform because it provides them an easier way to deliver a standard operating environment across their enterprises."

An SDK for version 2.0 has also been released.

Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0 is available now for Mac OS X (all versions, Intel hardware only), Windows (32- and 64-bit XP, Vista, and Server 2003 and 2008), Linux (several flavors), and Solaris (32- and 64-bit, OpenSolaris build 81 and higher, Solaris 10 OS 5/08 and higher). A complete list of supported hosts is available here. Enterprise subscriptions (which start at $30 per year per user) and OEM licenses are also available.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • CIS Sandbox Tutor Eli Blouin at Bentley University imagines a future technology learning partner that supports curiosity, critical thinking, feedback, and personalized learning.

    Student Voices: Technology as a Future Learning Partner

    A data analytics and marketing major at Bentley University and a distinguished lecturer at the university explore the future of "technology learning partners" — technologies that participate in the learning process by asking questions and giving feedback, not just information search results.

  • lock symbol with quantum bits in dynamic motion

    Microsoft Accelerates Focus on Quantum-Safe Security

    Microsoft is speeding up its quantum-safe security timeline, saying advances in quantum computing and new federal requirements have pushed post-quantum cryptography from a future planning issue into an immediate engineering priority.

  • interconnected nodes with currency symbols

    Gartner: Half of Gen AI Projects Could Exceed Budget by 2028

    Organizations may be underestimating the actual cost of generative AI as they move from experimentation to production, according to Gartner's "10 Best Practices for Optimizing Generative and Agentic AI Costs" report.

  • robot hand holding stacks of coins

    Designing AI Systems for Financial Aid

    Financial aid offices have been slow to adopt AI, risking technological stagnation at a critical early student touchpoint. Systematic AI integration can improve student experiences and strengthen institutional positioning.