Hyper-V: Where do I start?

  • Article

There are plenty of docs and blogs out there digging deep into Hyper-V.  However, a few customers have asked a simple question: “What do I need to think about before I start testing Hyper-V?"

  1. Well, first things first.  The product still hasn’t RTM’d so DONT use it for production environments … not even a little one!

  2. Hyper-V only runs on x64 processors with INTEL-VT or AMD-V.

  3. Pick your hardware: While it has not been RTM’d the Certified hardware list is available.  Check out Windows Server Catalog site BEFORE you make the decision to purchase hardware.  Keep an eye open for the logo below:

    clip_image002

  4. Think carefully about your storage options. Badly designed or configured storage can impact the overall performance of your virtual environment. 

  5. Understand the licensing model for Virtual operating systems.  More information can be found Virtual Machine Technology FAQ.  Its important to note that regardless of what vitalization product you decide to run the licensing model is still the same.

  6. Think carefully about disaster recovery.  Don’t wait until the last minute to figure out how you will manage and recover your virtual machines.  The smallest hardware failure can take down the biggest virtual environment.  Plan accordingly.

These are all very high level points so I will flesh them out over time.  Any questions, feel free to comment.