Changes between SCVMM 2008 Beta and the Final Release

Aside from overall performance, stability and reliability (things you might expect to improve from any beta), I thought I'd give folks a heads up on some of the things that we've added/changed for the final release next month which weren't in the beta. While the beta was advertised as "feature complete", we did take a bunch of the feedback that you sent our way and hopefully the end result is an even better final product.

Here's a list outlining some of the key improvements:

· Support for managing hosts in a Disjoint Namespace

· PRO

o Support for enabling PRO on non-clustered hosts

o Automated loading of OpsMgr MPs via Configure Operations Manager option in Setup

o View Script Option – now you can preview the script that PRO will run to implement the PRO Tip

· Admin Console

o Network Diagram View graphically shows how your hosts and VMs are connected to networks in your environment (some screen shots to follow)

o New, more polished UI

· Self-Service

o Allow users to mount ISOs

o Completely overhauled UI

· VMware management

o Support for VMware HA along with HA VM creation on VMware clusters

o Enhanced security for VMware management

o Management of ESX 3i

· Global Static MAC Address range – configure the range of MAC addresses VMM uses when creating new virtual network devices

· P2V improvements

o Support for offline conversion using static IP

o Storage and network driver detection for offline conversion

o P2V of domain controller

· VM Creation

o Creation of VMs without customization required (templates now have the option of “skipping” customization) so you can use non-Windows templates

o Product Key encryption by default in Guest OS profile

o VHD expansion

· Setup and Installation

o SQL 2008 Support

o VMM 2007 to VMM 2008 Migration

o Ability to install as a domain user in addition to local system