Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 includes the Hyper-V™ role, which is a hypervisor that enables server virtualization. This new virtualization hypervisor enables a Windows Server 2008 system to host many virtual machines (VMs) or child partitions that run directly on the hypervisor layer. Hyper-V servers and VMs can be centrally managed by System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) to enable centralized management and advanced features. Please visit the Dell TechCenter Hyper-V page for more information and links to additional resources. Here are some highlighted TechCenter demo videos with Hyper-V and SCVMM.

The key features of Hyper-V are as follows:

  • 64-bit native hypervisor-based virtualization.
  • Ability to run 32-bit and 64-bit virtual machines concurrently.

  • Uniprocessor and multiprocessor virtual machines.

  • Virtual machine snapshots, which capture the state, data, and hardware configuration of a running virtual machine. Because snapshots record system states, you can revert the virtual machine to a previous state.

  • Large virtual machine memory support.

  • Virtual local area network (VLAN) support.

  • Microsoft Management Console (MMC) management snap-in.

  • Documented Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) interfaces for scripting and management.

Hyper-V in Windows Server2008 R2adds the following features:

  • Live migration

  • Dynamic virtual machine storage

  • Enhanced processor support

  • Enhanced networking support



Hyper-V and SCVMM Videos

Hyper-V and SCVMM Cloning VMware VMotion Using SCVMM SCVMM with PRO Packs



Microsoft Virtual Server 2005


Microsoft also offers Virtual Server 2005, which runs as an application on top of Windows® to provide server virtualization. Virtual Server offers a low cost (no additional license fee) way to do virtualization on the Windows platform. It is similar to VMware's VMware® Server (which also has no license fee and runs on top of Windows) in that it does not have some of the advanced features of the VMware ESX server.

Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization


SoftGrid application virtualization is another Microsoft virtualization product that allows individual applications to be virtualized and deployed without concern for application-specific requirements and prerequisites.