In the recent blog article I wrote "What Is Virtualization" I tried to explain what Virtualization is. Well I might be able to explain a little better with a recent project I worked on.
One of CCS’s long time customers has been asking me about using a Mac in his business for quite sometime. I explained the pros and cons of using a Mac with the most important being that he would not have access to CounterPoint V7 or his Accounting software that was housed on a Windows 2003 Server. He asked me to do some research for him and in the meantime he bought a Macbook.
So after some research, I found a program that might allow running CounterPoint V7 on his newly purchased (and now dearly loved) Macbook. It is a program (not free) that uses virtualization to allow you to install a full version of Windows XP on to the Mac. Basically when he turns on his notebook, he logs into the Mac OS with the ability to also run Windows XP within a window on the Mac. It is just like it was another software application, the Safari Web browser or an email client. It has network capabilities, sound, and even shares devices like the CD-Rom drive.
For the back-office operations he needs, it solves his "problem" of wanting to use a Mac in a Windows environment. I would not recommend, or even try to use, this as a Point Of Sale machine. For simple back-office task, this has been what this customer has been looking for. He is very happy with the results.
Remember that the MAC OS is built on a UNIX BSD core, so it is not as surprising that it does OK with virtualization.
If you have questions about virtualization, Mac, Linux, Windows or anything else, please send me an email or call the CCS Support Department at 800-672-4806
Have A Great Weekend
-Bryan