Getting started with Hyper-V

All Replies

• Thursday, December 20, 2007 12:50 PM

   

   
  

  0

  CodeSlinger wrote:

  I plan to build my own 2008 Server/Hyper-V system and will not be using one of the tested Dell or HP systems from the release notes and could use some pointers as to my assumnptions and answers to a few questions.   Some getting started with Hyper-V assumptions. Please tell me if I am off base here. Any recent Intel quad core processor has the needed x64 architecture with hardware assisted virtualization and data execution protection needed to run Hyper-V. Most motherboard/BIOS combinations that support an Intel quad core will run 2008 Server and Hyper-V. If not please make some suggestions either for or against any specific boards. I will be able to use my Vista system to RDP to the 2008 Server to create and manage the VM's. My Vista machine will be able to RDP to any of the VM's once they are running.

   

  1 & 2 :- Release Notes for this Release of Hyper-V will have a bit more detail on some the questions in regards to specifics such as the motherboard needs to support the 'Execute Disable is enabled in the BIOS'. An Intel Quad-Core will be fine (As would many of the recent dual-cores). I am using a few Gigabyte boards here with the Intel 965 Chipset and I am yet to try but I would expect the Intel P35 Chipset boards to also have no problems and are a newer series though I don't specifically have any P35's myself I would look at one of those as a first preference. (Also go through the M/B's website and read the manual checking for the BIOS specifics and BIOS Revisions and driver revisions before you buy it as you will need 64Bit Drivers for the system). After the chipset choice you then just need to decide if you want on-board RAID and what level 0,1,5,10 etc and how many Non-RAID SATA Ports you want along with eSATA ports (Backups), Firewire, # of USB Ports etc etc and get the board that will suit your needs for peripherals.

   

  3 - Once the server is up and running on the network and your 'Virtual Networking' for Hyper-V is configured and 'Remote Desktop' is enabled on the 2008 Server you will be able to RDP to it from Vista and use the 'Virtualization MMC Console' or 'Server Manager' to perform everything you need for your VM creations, modifications, maintainence etc.

   

  4 - As long as your 'Virtual Networking' is configured correctly and your VM's can access content on the LAN, enable RDP on the VM and RDP directly into it from Vista.

  CodeSlinger wrote:

  Some getting started questions: Will my MSDN Empower subscription eventually include at least the "standard" production version of 2008 Server and Hyper-V when released? Will it be possible to somehow upgrade the 2008 Server RC1 and Hyper-V beta bits to production so I can at least keep using the VM's I create till then? Likely upgrade scenario would be appreciated. I know XP Pro and Vista Ultimate are not officially supported under Hyper-V now but has anyone tried to see if they actually work? I presume [seriously] that it was a MSFT priority to get Linux running first! Is there a means to create a VM from a physical bootable disk of an XP Pro or Vista Ultimate system from a local or network drive? I read about SCSI support from the VM handled almost native by Hyper-V but did not understand well what was being explained. Are SCSI disks somehow supported more efficiently than SATA 3G disks for the VM's? Does Hyper-V support VT-d [Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O] and do most recent motherboards/BIOS combinations support this OK? Thanks so much for any and all pointers to getting this project started, Dave

   

  1 - I have no idea in regard to what is/isn't supplied with the 'Empower' program from MSFT sorry.

   

  2 - I would not count on this as Server 2008 is due to be released at the end of Feb'08 (From memory) and the final 'Hyper-V' role is only set to be released 'Sometime within 180 Days of 2008 Server shipping' so there would be numerous upgrades and issues in getting to the end deployment with 2008 Server and Hyper-V running final versions. You could look at something like Acronis True Image to do backups from within the VM and in 6 months once all the software is finished and released to market and you are about to do the last upgrade you may just be able to get away with doing a 'Bare Metal Recovery' of your Acronis backup images from your backup drive and migrate them straight into your VM's and perform any final changes that ship with the finished Hyper-V server role such as updated 'Integration Components' installed and updated. This is all speculation on my part and a migration path may eventuate or it might not, until otherwise I will keep on backing up and be prepared for a fresh install at any time and if luck is on my side no major data loss!

   

  3 - I have tried Vista and a few other 'beta' products and they 'can' work if you use 'Legacy Network Adaptors' though because they don't have the 'Integration Components' installed the machines are quite slow performance wise as they don't have the 'Optimized Drivers' installed that emulate/synthesize the devices within the VM. Also look at this FAQ.

   

  The Linux 'Integration Components' are now available and you should be able to find them on the Connect Web Site which starts to move Microsoft closer to the deal they struck with the Novell and Zen virtualization environments. Most likely you will not see many client OS 'Integration Components' until the 2003/2008/Novell/Zen VM sides of things are running smooth and then some XP/Vista bits may appear or even some MacOS stuff

   

  4 - Yes, have a look at this.

   

  5 - Check out this and this from Tony.

   

  6 - Ben, Mike????

   

  I hope some of this will help you out Dave.

   

  Cheers,

   

  Stephen Edgar

  • Reply
  • Quote

   
• Thursday, December 20, 2007 2:17 PM

   

   
  

  0

  Yes it was very helpful Stephen and gives me some more sources to look at as well.

  Thanks!

   

  Dave

   

  • Reply
  • Quote

   
• Friday, December 21, 2007 10:13 PM

  Owner

   

   
  

  0

  6. No - not at this point in time.

   

  Cheers,

  Ben

  • Reply
  • Quote

   
• Friday, December 28, 2007 12:58 PM

   

   
  

  0

  Netweb wrote:

  3 - I have tried Vista and a few other 'beta' products and they 'can' work if you use 'Legacy Network Adaptors' though because they don't have the 'Integration Components' installed the machines are quite slow performance wise as they don't have the 'Optimized Drivers' installed that emulate/synthesize the devices within the VM. Also look at this FAQ.

   

  I realize the Integration Components are not available for Vista however is there any way possible to improve the performance of a Virtualized Vista installation?  If I can successfully use Vista x64 drivers for Video (ATI), RAID Controller (Intel), and NIC (Atheros L1) on my 2008 x64 RC1 installation why can we not flip that and use the Integration Components, or at least a subset of them to be able to improve system performance?

   

  When looking through Device Manager on my Vista machine it lists the 'Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to ISA bridge (ISA Mode)' as unknown and I am unable to get a correct driver to load.  I am assuming that is the performance bottleneck for the system that is making it practially unusable for any testing.

   

  In addition, #5 of the FAQ that was referenced above should be updated to state that there are also no Integration Components available for Vista.  I referenced that FAQ prior to my upgrade and incorrectly assumed since there was no mention of Vista not having the Integration Components that I was safe to upgrade from VS 2005 and be able to continue my Vista virtual testing scenarios.

   

  Other than this little issue all is well and the team has done amazing work with the new version of Hyper-V!!  Cheers!!

   

  • Reply
  • Quote