Windows Server 2008 Hyper

Introduction

Welcome to the best book we’ve ever written about Microsoft’s hypervisor technology: Hyper-V! Hyper-V is a foundational virtualization technology released in 2008 by Microsoft, and this book is intended to be a resource for systems administrators looking to use it in a cost effective and efficient manner. Other books may be written about Hyper-V, but no others so far have appeared on the landscape written by those who helped shape or support the product.

The book is meant to cover the essentials of using Hyper-V, giving you the information necessary to get up and running quickly. The book includes technical depth (some not found anywhere else), but it isn’t intended as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of Hyper-V.

What Is Virtualization?

At its simplest, virtualization is the abstraction of computing from computers. Separating software from hardware isn’t a new concept. Administrators have done it for many years on all sorts of platforms. Nearly any system or system component can be somehow pulled away or separated from the hardware or software on which it depends. In Windows-centric environments, complete operating system instances can be virtualized using Hyper-V, Virtual Server, and Virtual PC. Windows systems can also be virtualized with products from other companies, including VMware. This full-system virtualization is only one type of computing abstraction.

Virtualization can happen at nearly any computing boundary within a system. The broad definition and interpretation of virtualization has led to virtualization frenzy in all forms. It seems as if every software and hardware company has a virtualization offering of some kind. For good or for bad, the word virtualization has been tagged onto products and solutions across the computing industry. It sounds like virtualization is the next great thing in computing. It’s already here, so it actually was the next great thing! In all its present forms, virtualization is providing value to enterprises and individuals and has been doing so for some time.

Where Hyper-V Fits

Hyper-V is Microsoft’s efficient hypervisor that enables operating-system virtualization in a server environment. Hyper-V is a core technology pillar of Microsoft’s virtualization strategy and the focus of this book. It’s an installable feature of Window Server 2008 and is available as a no-cost download as Hyper-V Server. Even with other virtualization solutions already installed, Hyper-V can be part of any contemporary Windows Server infrastructure, based on availability and price.