Yes, and even earlier - before ESX - nobody had thought of server paravirt, and there was only workstation. But these days there are free alternatives that work on all platforms and don't hound you for needless upgrades.
Besides, it feels like the fad around paravirt is over. There's a fair argument that its original server-side popularity was mostly a hack around 'doze's crappy install/config procedure, and 'doze is dying off.
Now we're left with containers, KVM and VirtualBox... the desktop replacement of VMWare workstation being the final nail in the coffin for its dwindling userbase.
Besides, it feels like the fad around paravirt is over. There's a fair argument that its original server-side popularity was mostly a hack around 'doze's crappy install/config procedure, and 'doze is dying off.
Now we're left with containers, KVM and VirtualBox... the desktop replacement of VMWare workstation being the final nail in the coffin for its dwindling userbase.