VirtualBox 3.1 with Improved Management.
Ever since Sun bought the virtualization smith Innotek in 2008, the development of its VirtualBox has taken giant strides.
Although VirtualBox 3.1 is designated a minor release, the changelog shows some important updates in snapshot management apart from numerous bugfixes. The new release also allows migrating a live VM session from host to host.
Sun has been satisfying what looks to be the steady growth of users with almost monthly versions of VirtualBox. Whereas the changes to the last major release 3.0 update were less than spectacular, the current version provides some important and for users quite sensible new features. The snapshot function saw some especially fundamental revisions. Any previous snapshot can now be restored to be the current VM state and new snapshots can be branched from existing ones.
Live migration is a new feature, called teleportation, in VirtualBox that is based more on business requirements. It allows porting a VM session on a running basis from host to host.
Sun also reports a performance improvement for PAE and AMD64 guests in the changelog. Network performance underwent some changes as well. It's now possible to adjust network settings for the VM while it's running and the implemented NAT can act as a DNS proxy.
The free VirtualBox software under a personal use and evaluation license is available for download as packages for Linux distros in addition to Windows and Mac OS X. Sun also provides the source code for VirtualBox OSE, the open source edition under GPLv2 license.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.