4 Tools For Running Multiple Operating Systems On A Single Server

Despite the advantages of the open-source software available on Linux or the way Macbooks rarely have problems with bugs or viruses, the business world still runs on Windows. Powered by Microsoft, it still retains just over 3/4ths of the entire world's computing market share. This is just one example of why you might need to use software to run multiple operating systems on a different server. 

Data centre servers are powerful machines capable of completing many tasks if you only use that server for one application. Still, around 90% of the time, it is not used to its full potential in most cases. Businesses don't need to waste money buying a separate server for each application they want to run. Instead, they can install multiple virtual servers onto a single physical one.

This is not overly complex to achieve, and thankfully, you are in the right place as this guide recommends four tools for running multiple operating systems on a single server.

1. VMware

A straightforward way to go about this is by installing VMware.

VMware has been an industry leader in creating virtualized servers. Its simple-to-use management portal gives you complete oversight of your servers. It allows you to quickly make changes to ensure your physical servers are always running at their best.

2. Proxmox VE

Proxmox VE stands for Proxmox Virtual Environment. Known as PVE for short, it's an open-source virtualisation server. It allows you to manage two different virtualisation technologies while using the same server. This, in turn, will offer a single web-based interface. This way, you can virtualise any platform to run Windows software, which made the company a record profit recently, Linux or Apple. Proxmox as a server utilises the KVM (kernal virtual machine) and will support virtually any operating system, allowing you to download and install a collection of hardware fast.

3. Citrix Hypervisor

The Citrix Hypervisor servers allow you to easily maintain environments by empowering your everyday workloads and ensuring you create a secure virtual infrastructure when it comes to the risk of cyber threats. If you are looking to run Windows, which has 75% of the global market share, on your Mac or Linux computer, you can run a Citrix Hypervisor server. This is an open-source platform that consolidates virtual machines onto a physical server. This means that if you many disk images, this can reduce the number, freeing up space for your system. It also creates speed of access anywhere in the world to specific software.

4. VirtualBox

For a free option for running multiple operating systems on a single server, you can use VirtualBox. However, it is free for a reason as the setup can be rather technical, requiring a tricky split of RAM and processing space, and there are quite a few glitches, meaning that not every function of the different operating system will work successfully on your computer. If you understand how to set it up and don't mind a few errors, then VirtualBox might be the right choice for you. 

Conclusion 

As you can see from the options provided above, there are many different ways to use software to access other operating systems, no matter which operating system you might be using. It's worth making an informed choice based on considerations of both cost and ease of use.