You can use System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 (SCVMM) to manage your virtual environment, including:

·         Hyper-V

·         Hyper-V Server

·         Microsoft Virtual Server 2005

·         VMWare Virtual Center 2.0 and 2.5

·         VMWare ESX Server 3, 3i, 3.5 and Vsphere 4 (managed through VMware virtual Center)

New features include:

• Live Migration between cluster nodes to Windows Server 2008 R2 – movement between cluster nodes without production downtimes and transparent to the users.
• Support for Virtual Machine Queue protocols (QMV) and TCM Chimney – performance improvements for virtual machines.
•  Hot Addition of hot VHDs – adds the virtual machine (on air) a new virtual HD.
• Maintenance mode for hosts – maintenance like Windows Update, for example.
• Clustered Shared Volume (CSV) support.
• Sanbolic Clustered File System (CFS) support.
• Veritas Storage Foundation for Windows support.
• SAN Migration between hosts in the cluster.
•  Quick Storage Migration

In this article, we shall deal with the installation of the VMM Server and the Admin Console components of VMM 2008 R2 and the associated requirements (using SQL Server 2005 Express Edition as the database).

For information about the installation of other VMM components, or about disk space recommendations when using a full version of SQL Server, see the "VMM System Requirements" section of the TechNet Library at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc764328.aspx and the "New Installation of VMM" section at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc793149.aspx.

Preview installation requirements

Hardware (up to 150 hosts)

Software

 

Installation

Access the VMM CD and run Setup.exe. Figure 1 screen appears. After, click VMM Server.

Figure 1 – Option to install the VMM Server

After you load the temporary installation files, accept the license term and click Next.

Figure 2 – License term

Choose whether you want to sign in to Microsoft improvement program, and then click Next.

Figura 3 – Customer Experience Improvement Program

On the next screen, enter your name and your company and click Next.

Figure 4 – Product registration

On the next screen we have a verification of hardware and software requirements. If any unforeseen, troubleshoot the problem and click Check Again. After successfully, click Next.

Figure 5 – Requirements checklist

Choose a location for the installation of the product, and then click Next. You need at least 2 GB of free space on the chosen location.

Figure 6 – installation location

For reports and some data you must have SQL Server. You can use an existing SQL Server to create this or simply use the option Install SQL Server 2005 Express Edition SP3. This last option installs a simpler version of SQL and creates the database on the local computer. Select the desired option, and then click Next.

Figure 7 – SQL Server configurations

During installation is created a share where you will store the templates virtual machine, VHD and script files. If you already have a share for this, simply place the share name, and then click Next.

Figure 8 – Library sharing

Installation configuration is necessary to specify the communication ports with the VMM Server. The following ports are already defined as default, and are created to the same exceptions in Windows Firewall:

In addition, you must use a service account. If you're using another account other than local System, don't forget to put it as a local administrator on the server and select the option to password never expires. After these settings, click Next.

Figure 9 – Installation settings

Confirm all options, and then click Install.

Figure 10 – confirmation of options

All the requirements are installed if they are not found in the system. After installation it is recommended that checked the latest updates from Windows Update.

Figure 11 – Complete installation

It is important to note that after the installation you must install the VMM Administrator console to connect and administration. The files are in VMM DVD itself and can be installed on workstations.

I installed on own Server VMM Administrator console to demo. To access it after the installation, click Start > all programs > Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 > Virtual Machine Manager Administrator console. Place the name of your Server VMM Server followed by the port, as shown in Figure 12. After you click Connect.

Figure 12 – connection in VMM Server

In Figure 13 the VMM Server is already in production with a host and 5 VMs.

Figure 13 – VMM Server in production.

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