Certainly! Here’s the explanation in Markdown format:
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Running Sage 50 on Proxmox vs Parallels on a Mac
Running Sage 50 in a Windows VM on Proxmox is very much like running it in Parallels Desktop on a non-ARM Intel Mac — both isolate the Windows environment and allow Sage 50 to run properly. Here’s a direct comparison and explanation.
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Comparison Table
| Feature | Parallels on Intel Mac | Windows VM on Proxmox (Linux host) |
|---|---|---|
| Underlying System | macOS (host) with Parallels virtualisation | Linux (Proxmox VE) with KVM virtualisation |
| VM OS | Windows 10/11 | Windows 10/11/Server |
| Use Case | Personal or office desktop use | Dedicated server environment |
| Performance Tuning | Limited (macOS shares resources) | Full resource control per VM |
| Snapshots & Rollback | Parallels Pro supports snapshots | Proxmox has native snapshots |
| Backup Tools | Time Machine or Parallels backup | Proxmox VM backups or ZFS snapshots |
| Resource Separation | Shared with macOS | Host dedicates CPU/RAM directly to VM |
| Remote Access | Requires 3rd-party tools or VPN | Easy via RDP + Cloudflare Tunnel |
| Headless Operation | No — Mac must be on and active | Yes — fully headless and remote-managed |
| Expandability | Limited — typically 1 VM | Run many VMs or containers |
| Cost | £80+/year for Parallels Pro + Windows licence | Proxmox is free; only Windows licence needed |
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In Summary
• Yes, running Sage in Parallels on a non-ARM Mac is functionally very similar to running it on a Windows VM in Proxmox.
• But Proxmox is more robust and server-oriented:
• No need for a screen or user session.
• It runs in the background 24/7.
• Ideal for multi-user access and remote management.
• On a Mac, if it sleeps, crashes, or is in use for something else, the VM (and Sage) is affected.
• On Proxmox, your whole system is dedicated to Sage — stable, snapshot-ready, backup-friendly.⸻
If You’re Familiar with Parallels…
You’re already comfortable with:
• Creating a VM
• Installing Windows
• Running Sage inside that VMIn Proxmox, you’ll do the same — just through a web interface, with more control and better safety.
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Would you like a visual walkthrough of how to do this in Proxmox — like a side-by-side with Parallels?