The principle of Hyper-V is to allow multiple guest operating systems to
run concurrently on a Windows 8 host. The benefit is to save on
hardware costs.
Windows 8 contains Hyper-V 3.0 support. The technology is almost
identical to the hypervisor built into Windows Server 2008 R2.
Windows 8 Hyper-V will need a 64-bit Intel or AMD PC (not
ARM) with at least 4 GB of RAM to support 4 virtual machines.
Perhaps the 'killer' feature of Windows 8 Hyper-V is support for
64-bit guest operating systems.
One of the FAQ is, 'Will the VM
support USB drives?' The answer is 'Yes'.
Another key component is Second Level Address Translation (SLAT);
that reminds me, learn from my disappointing experience and check with
the manufacturer that a proposed machine will support Hyper-V 3.0.
Windows Server 2008 R2 style dynamic memory for on-the-fly memory
re-allocation. (Not advised for Exchange).
To supervise the virtual machine settings and activity, launch the
Remote Desktop Connection, I prefer this to the VM Console.
One flashy feature is "live storage move" which means you can
transfer
virtual machines even while they are running.
There is also a handy snapshot capability for going back in time
when you are testing.
Unlike its predecessor, Hyper-V 3.0 will support the normal Windows Update for hotfixes and
patches.
Windows 8 Hyper-V Limitations It was no surprise that gamers shun virtual machines because of latency
problems, but I did not realise that music mixing apps suffer from
distortion in a VM. While I don't use bit-locker myself my friend
Eddie said his would not work on a guest of the Windows 8 Hyper-V machine.
I had not even thought of using wireless technology with VM, my friend
Eddie reported that it was possible, if fiddly using ARP proxying.
To install the VM manager, go to the Control Panel, Turn Windows features
on or off, tick the box, reboot and Hyper-V is ready.
The first job for a Virtual Machine manager is to create a virtual switch
so that your guest can connect to other machines. The second job is to
create a Windows 8 virtual machine from an .iso file.
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The best feature of this new this new version of SolarWinds VM Monitor is that it
checks Windows Hyper-V. Naturally, it still works with virtual machines on VMware ESX Servers. VM Monitor is a
clever
desktop tool that not only tests that your server is online, but also
displays the CPU and memory utilization for each node.
It's easy to install and to configure this virtual machine monitor, all
you need the host server's IP address or hostname and the logon info. Give
this virtual machine monitor a try - it's free.
When you go the Control Panel, Programs and try: 'Turn Windows
features on', if Hyper-V is greyed-out, then when you mouse-over you should
see this message: 'Hyper-V cannot be installed you don't have SLAT
capabilities'.
If you haven't installed Windows 8 yet you can check this SLAT
pre-requisite, you CPU name should begin with 'i', for example i7....
If it begins with Q or E, then it won't support Hyper-V.
My guess is that businesses who are too small to justify the Small
Business Server (SBS) may be tempted by the idea of having just one, or may
be
two main machines for the bosses, and then providing virtual Windows 8
guests for their part-time employees.
Virtual machines are ideal for those in testing multiple operating
systems, or those techies wishing to trial new configurations that are too
risky to try on a production machine.
Perhaps I am now going into the realm of fantasy land; I see a
traditional family of mother, father and two children. Dad takes
charge of the IT, and buys himself a brand-new machine with Windows 8, then
he sets up Hyper-Visor and provides Windows 8 guest operating systems for
the rest of the family.
Schools and colleges, who are eligible for Microsoft's educational
licences, may be tempted to expand their computer network through the use of
Windows 8 with Hyper-V, rather than upgrading their old servers that nobody
understands how to configure.
Trying to get a grasp on Microsoft's licensing is like shooting at
a moving target. And it seems I am not
alone as training companies offer 3 day courses just on the one subject
Microsoft licensing. I will
leave the subject by saying if you want to stay legal and avoid
virtual machines shutting down because they don't have a valid product key,
please do your own research on Windows licensing.
For instance, Microsoft's Software Assurance licensing option includes
Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) for Windows 7.
Apparently MED-V is also available for $1 per user per month more as part of
the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack suite for Windows Intune
subscribers. And there are the MED-V access rights as part of the
Virtual Desktop Access license. All that is moderately clear!
But you can expect changes in licensing when Windows 8's Hyper-V hits the
streets.
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There are so many good gadgets; it's like having free rein of a
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Virtual PC and Virtual Server 2003 were used mainly for testing and
training. However, thanks to lead taken by the rival VMware software, it
soon became apparent that you could deploy Microsoft virtual machines as a cheap
alternative to buying new physical workstations. Other reasons for the
rapid uptake of virtual machines based on Windows Server 2008 were the speed of
rolling out, ease of configuring, and the general ability to support a large
workforce with robust computers efficiently.
One hidden benefit of virtual machines is protection from every company's
user-from-hell, that man who finds a new way to trash his machine every
month. With virtual machines no worries, you just create a new VM.
Type 1 and Type 2 Hypervisor The fewer the layers
between the guest operating system and the hardware the better. Thus
hypervisor type 1, found in Windows 8 and VMware ESX is intrinsically
superior to type 2 found in the old Windows PC and the original VMware.
Type 1 Hypervisor: Found in Windows 8 and VMware. [Type 2: Windows PC]
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What I like best is the way NPM suggests solutions to network
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virtual machines. If you are interested in troubleshooting, and creating
network maps, then I recommend that you try NPM now.
The whole point of virtualization is to emulate an entire guest computer
environment inside the operating system of another computer called the parent or
host.
The hypervisor software controls instructions between the hardware and
the management operating system, in this way the host supplies each guest's
access to hardware resources.
.VHD is a large physical file that holds all the data for the child operating
system. These .VHD files are the fastest way of copying templates of
ready-to-go operating systems.
The Benefits of Virtualization
By 2011 there is no need for me to labor the benefits of virtualization, the saving
on hardware, support and running costs are well established; the only debate these days is
whether virtualization is more beneficial for clients such as Windows 8, or
servers such as
Windows 2008 R2.
There is also an element of virtualization coming full circle, by that I mean
it's still widely used for testing.
Failover clustering is a complimentary technology that ensures the availability
of applications and services. Clustering is designed so that if one of
nodes fails, another node catches the failover and seamlessly takes over,
with the result that users don't notice the change of service provider.
Guy
Recommends:
SolarWinds Free Wake-On-LAN Utility
Encouraging computers to sleep when they're not in use is a great idea -
until you are away from your desk and need a file on that remote sleeping machine!
WOL also has business uses for example, rousing machines so that
they can have update patches applied. My real reason for recommending
you download this free tool is because it's so much fun sending those 'Magic
Packets'. Give WOL a try - it's free.
With virtualization you handle the deployment of your own servers inside
the corporate firewall. Cloud computing on the other hand, is more
like an external service where you outsource your computing requirements to
a supplier based on the internet.
Cloud computing has relatively little up-front cost compared
with investing in Virtualization. However, the conundrum is that if
cloud computing becomes popular in your organization, then in year or two your
computing bill could be considerably higher than if you had persevered with
a virtualization solution.
Windows 8 Hyper-V 3.0 technology is almost identical to the hypervisor
built into Windows Server 2008 R2. Hyper-V will allow multiple 64-bit
guest operating systems to run concurrently on a Windows 8 host. While
virtual machines are still used in testing, they are now a viable
alternative to buying more hardware.
If you like this page then please share it with your friends
Guy Recommends:
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SolarWinds' performance monitor is designed for detecting network outages,
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This utility guides you through creating network maps; it also helps
identifying whether the
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