Running multiple virtual machines on Mac at the same time

[sdjensen]

Hi,

I am looking for a virtualization software for OSX that will allow me to run at least 2 virtual machines at the same time. I currently have VMWare Fusion, but I can only have one virtual machine running at the time. Is this possible with parallels?

Kind Regards,
Søren

 

[simsaladimbamba]

VMWare Fusion can run two VMs simultaneously.
I have one Windows 7 VM and one OS X 10.9 Mavericks VM running right now, in VMWare Fusion, and another Windows 7 VM running in Parallels Desktop:

Here is what VMWare Fusion shows, when two VMs are running under the Window menu bar item:

 

[adam9c1]

It's lame that it's only two IMHO.

 

[Sirobin]

It's lame that it's only two IMHO.

I can do four at once, and I’m sure I could do more if I had any set up. It should only be limited by how powerful your computer is.

 

[Statedx7]

I found VMware Fusion really bloated and sluggish... Currently i use VirtualBox and run about 5/6 Virtual Machines on my 2010 Mbp

I recommend VirtualBox to everyone because it just performs better than VMware Workstation / Fusion and its FREE

https://www.virtualbox.org

 

[adam9c1]

Can you export Fusion VMs into Virtual Box?
Can you do snapshots in Virtual Box?
Can you import Virtual Box VMs into Fusion?

 

[glenthompson]

I use Parallels to run Windows and can run multiple VMs at the same time. Just started up XP and 7 at the same time with no problem.

 

[Kasalic]

Can you export Fusion VMs into Virtual Box?
not sure what you mean by 'export' 'in'?
Can you do snapshots in Virtual Box?
yes
Can you import Virtual Box VMs into Fusion?
you can use VMDK as the VM's file system, so theoretically you could not tried it though

In answer to the original question, yes you can run more than 1, I have run Server 2012 and 2 windows 7 clients in a test lab scenario on a Late 2011 MBP with 16Gb of ram. I can run 4 but that's when it starts to slow down a bit.

In our business we use VMWare, Parallels and Virtual box. I personally prefer VMWare to Parallels, and find Virtual Box to be slightly less 'polished' than the two paid for products, and subjectively, the performance is not quite as good, however it is perfectly capable.

 

[thasan]

I found VMware Fusion really bloated and sluggish... Currently i use VirtualBox and run about 5/6 Virtual Machines on my 2010 Mbp

I recommend VirtualBox to everyone because it just performs better than VMware Workstation / Fusion and its FREE

https://www.virtualbox.org

VMware is awful waste of money. It forces my mbp fan to run like crazy sometimes for no reason. Parallel was nice ... But i didnt buy their last annual upgrade should try virtual box then..

 

[droo]

I have run 8 VM's on my mac with VMware fusion, bit chuggy loading them but works ok

secret is 16gb ram and thunderbolt SSD to run them off.

Droo

 

[jwsadler]

I'm running latest version of parallels on a Mac Pro (late 2013) with 32GB RAM. I'm finding that switching between VMs is an issue. It seems to be sluggish and in order to get the keyboard to take the correct context I have to click on a mac OS window first. I'm only running two VMs.

Any thoughts?

 

[dyn]

Don't franticly assign cpu/cores and memory to the vm, use the defaults first and upgrade in baby steps. Also do install the VMware Tools/Guest Additions/etc. because it will enable additional options, improve performance and make sure the clock is correct.