VirtualBox Allows Admins To Get Their VMs To Go

There's a good reason why Sun's VirtualBox has been downloaded more than 20 million times over the past couple of years: High quality at an unbeatable price. And the latest version takes yet another big step forward.The story from InformationWeek.com: Sun Microsystems released an upgrade of its VirtualBox virtualization software to allow users to move running virtual machines from one host to another without interruption.

With VirtualBox 3.1, users can move active VMs between different operating systems, classes of computers, such as servers and clients; and different CPUs, such as chips made by Intel and Advanced Micro Devices. The latest software is available at no charge through Sun's Web site.

According to Sun, this version also delivers a 30 percent performance boost and improved system-snapshot management capabilities.

VirtualBox isn't entirely free for all users; if you're using it in a production role within a business environment, you may be on the hook for a not-so-whopping $30 per user per year licensing fee. But Sun's non-commercial use exceptions are extremely generous, especially for very small businesses.

And, of course, VirtualBox offers a killer combination: an open-source software license, a thriving developer community, and professional-grade support from Sun for those who need it.

So, what can a more expensive product like VMware Workstation or Parallels Desktop deliver that VirtualBox can't? At this point, not much. One concern that comes to mind -- at least for firms seeking a product with rock-solid, long-term support prospects -- is what Oracle will do with the project when (or whether) it finishes its acquisition of Sun.

For most users, however, VirtualBox offers a killer combination of low cost and superior performance that its competitors simply cannot match.