Frequently Asked Questions about Hyper-V

 

In previous posts we have already discussed some crucial aspects of Hyper-V and also provided some information about the most frequently asked questions. Here is the new series of questions containing a little more information about Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization technology.

Q. What types of physical storage does Microsoft Hyper-V Server support?

A. Hyper-V offers flexible storage support such as:

• Direct Attach Storage (DAS): SATA, eSATA, PATA, SAS, SCSI, USB, FIrewire
• Storage Area Networks (SANs): iSCSI, Fiber Channel, SAS

Q. Are virtual machines created with Microsoft Hyper-V Server compatible with virtual machines created with Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V?

A. Yes, virtual machines created with Microsoft Hyper-V Server compatible with virtual machines created with Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V.

Q. Does Microsoft Hyper-V Server include Live Backup support through Volume Shadow Services?

A. Yes, Hyper-V Server includes support for Live Backup when used with a suitable backup solution such as System Center Data Protection Manager.

Q. Does Microsoft Hyper-V Server include virtual machine snapshots?

A. Yes.

Q. Does Microsoft Hyper-V Server include any local UI?

A. Hyper-V Server includes a minimal, easy to use command-line based UI for system configuration. This allows a user to easily configure system settings such as:

• Changing the computer name
• Joining the server to a domain
• Configuring DHCP/Static IP Address Settings
• Enabling Remote Desktop
• Enabling Failover Clustering
• Configuring Remote Administration settings

Q. Can you create virtual machines and manage them locally?

A. Virtual machine creation, configuration and management are accomplished remotely.

Q. How do you manage Microsoft Hyper-V Server?

A. Hyper-V Server can be managed in a number of ways:

• Remotely from Windows Server 2008 (x86/x64) using the Hyper-V Manager MMC
• Remotely from Windows Vista SP1 (x86 /x64) using the Hyper-V Manager MMC
• Remotely from System Center Virtual Machine Manager

Q. Can you use PowerShell locally with Microsoft Hyper-V Server?

A. Yes. PowerShell is now included with Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2. PowerShell can be enabled from the SCONFIG menu.

Q. Does Microsoft Hyper-V Server require Client Access Licenses (CALs)?

A. No.

Q. Can I run applications in the Microsoft Hyper-V Server parent partition?

A. No. The Microsoft Hyper-V Server parent partition is specifically for system management.