Parallels today announced that it is beginning beta testing for Parallels Workstation 2.1 for Mac OS X, "the first" virtualization software that gives Apple users the ability to simultaneously run Windows, Linux or any other operating system and their applications alongside Mac OS X on an Intel-based Mac. Virtualization software enables users to run multiple operating systems, like Linux or Windows, in isolated "virtual machines" directly on a Mac OS X desktop -- each virtual machine operates exactly like a stand-alone computer and contains its virtual hardware, including RAM, hard disk, processor, I/O ports, and CD/DVD-drives. The company is offering a free, fully-functional 30-day trial of Parallels Workstation 2.1 for Mac OS X. The company expects to release a final version of the product in the next several weeks. It requires Mac OS 10.4.4 (and is not compatible with PowerPC-based Macs). The Windows and Linux versions, introduced last month, are available for $50.

It would be nice to carry a virtualized Linux server inside the MacBook Pro I'm gonna buy for development.