Parallels Virtuozzo Containers description
Rhe world's leading OS virtualization solution

The Parallels Virtuozzo Containers was designed to be the world's leading OS virtualization solution. Parallels Virtuozzo creates isolated containers on a single physical server and OS instance. Compared to other virtualization technologies, Parallels Virtuozzo offers the highest levels of density, performance and manageability.

Virtuozzo Containers includes a number of improvements and features that are important to a high-density, manageable virtual datacenter infrastructure:

Enhanced usability - A redesigned interface that offers access to centralized resources, such as templates and sample virtual environments, plus a streamlined installation;

High availability - Virtuozzo Containers 4.0 includes several new options to ensure maximum uptime, such as Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat clustering services, as well as Microsoft Network Load Balancing support and many new backup enhancements;

Complete management flexibility - Arrange and manage virtual environments and Virtuozzo servers according to the actual hardware infrastructure, or logically group them according to user preference.

Here are some key features of "Parallels Virtuozzo Containers":

· Manage a high performance virtualization solution without learning a new OS.

· Fast Provisioning enables administrators to create and deploy containers in seconds.

· Dynamic resource management allows real-time changes of key system resources such as CPU, memory, network, disk and I/O.

· Eliminate OS sprawl-related problems by deploying patches and upgrades globally to all containers and across servers.

· Parallels Transporter allows reliable, easy migration from a physical or other VMM server to a Parallels Virtuozzo container.

· Easily automate tasks and integrate with existing tools.

· Up to 1,000's of containers per each standard physical server.

· Advanced caching to share limited resources effectively.

· High Density Partitioning efficiently divides a server into multiple containers while maximizing the server’s resources.

· Full native performance architecture ensures that applications maintain all performance optimizations and run at their highest levels.

· High I/O traffic is manageable without throughput degradation.

· Links and caches enable faster application and response times.

· Each container can use up to the full resources of the server.

· Granular resource control enables performance tuning for individual containers.

· Server and container clustering ensures continuous availability of business through support for Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) and Red Hat Cluster Services.

· Network redundancy and effective usage of network resources is facilitated with support for Microsoft Network Load Balancing services.

· Protect mission-critical data and the virtual IT infrastructure with built-in backup enhancements.


Requirements:

· Local Area Network (LAN) for the Hardware Node.
· Internet connection for the Hardware Node.
· A valid IP address for the Hardware Node as well as other IP parameters (default gateway,
· network mask, DNS and WINS configuration).
· At least one valid IP address for each ordinary Container you will be creating on the Node.
· The total number of addresses should be no less than the planned number of Containers.


NOTE: Before installing Virtuozzo Containers, you should also make sure that:
· The Windows Server 2003 OS installation is activated.
· The Windows Server 2003 distribution kit is not patched, i.e. all the binaries inside the distribution kit are in their original state as they are supplied by Microsoft Corporation.