Microsoft Hyper-V Management Tutorial

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With the release of Hyper-V for Windows Server 2008, Microsoft is attempting to carve out its own share of the server virtualization market. Unfortunately, the introduction of Microsoft's hypervisor technology has sprouted a slew of new questions in a landscape already full of them. This Hyper-V management and administration guide is designed to help users not only decide if the product is right for them, but to also give them an idea of how to manage Hyper-V once it's deployed.

Here we've gathered a wealth of information, with details on Hyper-V features, tools and comparisons. You'll also find step-by-step video tutorials explaining how to perform a variety of Hyper-V administration tasks, including networking configurations for Hyper-V deployments.

What you need to know

First and foremost, Hyper-V is far more than just a replacement for Microsoft Virtual Server. The new technology features an entirely different virtualization architecture designed for better and faster performance, and can support far more complex networking arrangements.

Video: Understanding virtualization with Hyper-V
In this introductory webcast, MVP Greg Shields explains how Hyper-V can be used to bring inexpensive and easy-to-use server virtualization into your Windows infrastructure.

Answering Hyper-V's tough questions

When compared to more seasoned server virtualization technology from VMware and Citrix, Microsoft Hyper-V is relatively new to the fold. The first step to deciding on a Hyper-V deployment is figuring out what it has to offer. In this section, virtualization experts Danielle and Nelson Ruest tackle the big questions surrounding Hyper-V.

Danielle Ruest

Can Microsoft really make an impact with Hyper-V?
With a 10-year lag behind VMware, is it even reasonable to think that Hyper-V can ever displace ESXi at the top of the hypervisor foodchain? Learn what experts are saying about the latest player in the virtualization game.

Just what does Hyper-V have to offer?
Here you'll learn which key benefits Hyper-V has over the more seasoned VMware ESX Server, with details on its hardware-sharing architecture, high-availability configurations, quick migration and more.

How does Hyper-V rate?
While Microsoft Hyper-V is a version 1 product, you might be surprised at how well its virtual machine management tools stack up against it's competitors. Check out where Microsoft stands in terms of Hyper-V management tool availability, with details on how it works with System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM).

Can Hyper-V meet high availability requirements?
While Hyper-V does not support live migration (yet), admins can rely on Windows Server 2008's internal tools to avoid service interruptions for end users. Learn how these techniques can help keep Hyper-V's quick migration on the same playing field as Vmotion until the release of Windows Server 2008 R2.

Nelson Ruest

Does Hyper-V fit in the dynamic data center?
The concept of a dynamic data center relies on the ability to increase and decrease service-oriented workloads based on actual business needs. Server virtualization has made the prospects of the dynamic data center a reality for organizations interested in minimizing costs. Find out if Microsoft Hyper-V has what it takes to support such an environment.

So what's the bottom line?
At the end of the day, the real question is if Hyper-V will really change the virtualization game. Check out this overview of Hyper-V licensing considerations, features and deployment strategies.

Making the final decision on Hyper-V

So you've gotten to the bottom of the big questions surrounding Hyper-V, but others still remain. Mainly, how can Hyper-V truly benefit your organization, and if so, where do you start? Well, not everyone has the time to go over every single feature included with Hyper-V. These excerpts from the book "Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Unleashed" by Rand Morimoto and Jeff Guillet provide a brief primer on the Hyper-V features that are of most interst to admins, with details on how to decide when to deploy.

Quick Hyper-V technology overview
Learn more about the Hyper-V features that are designed to provide better virtual host and reliability capabilities, as well as improved administration and guest support.

The right time to implement Hyper-V
This segment takes you through the desicion making process, with tips on deciding why to go ahead with a Hyper-V deployment and timing that deployment to ensure your organization gets the most out of it.

VIDEO: Top Hyper-V deployment scenarios
There are some really great scenarios for putting Microsoft Hyper-V in place. In this video presentation, Nelson Ruest breaks down each of these scenarios, with details on when to implement each. You'll also find information on OS licensing with Hyper-V, including how licensing differs based on the edition of Windows Server 2008 being used.

Working with Hyper-V

Once you've finally deployed Hyper-V in your Windows environment, the next step is figuring our how to use it. This series of step-by-step video tutorials walks you through several common Hyper-V tasks, with details on how to configure virtual machines, work with snapshots and more.

Part 1: Virtual network configuration
Virtual networking in Hyper-V transforms the physical NIC into a virtual switch, allowing admins to create three different types of virtual network interface cards. Here you'll learn about each of these types and walk through the virtual network configuration process for Hyper-V.

Part 2: Working with virtual hard disk drives
Microsoft Hyper-V supports several different VHD drive formats. This segment breaks down the differences among each disk type, and demonstrates how to create virtual disks from the Hyper-V Manager console.

Part 3: Using the MAP Toolkit
To help you deal with some of the issues you may face when moving to virtualization, the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is a free download designed to provide hardware inventories, compatibility analysis and more for Windows virtual environments.

Part 4: Virtual machine (VM) configuration
There are several considerations to be aware of when configuring virtual machines. Part four sheds light on the virtual hardware resources included with Microsoft Hyper-V, the difference between enlightened and legacy guests and more.

Part 5: Running Hyper-V on Server Core
Hyper-V is designed to work together with the "bare-bones" Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008. Here you'll learn why Server Core is the ideal platform for the Hyper-V role, with details on how to prepare Server Core for Hyper-V deployment.

Part 6: Working with snapshots
Snapshots are a "point in time" version of a virtual machine, and are new to Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V. Get a handle on the benefits snapshots have to offer your environment, as well as how to create and use them in Hyper-V.

More Hyper-V resources

Windows server virtualization and Microsoft Hyper-V topic page
Find all the latest news and expert advice on wortking with Hyper-V, plus info on using other technologies for Windows server virtualization.

IT Knowledge Exchange
Have a Hyper-V management question of your own? Ask your peers by submitting it to our ITKE forum.