Microsoft and VMware Compared Series–An Introduction

As expert providers of VMware’s vSphere server virtualisation platform and Microsoft’s Hyper-V with System Centre Virtual Machine Manager we are often asked to make comparisons between the two platforms.  The web is filled with propaganda from both organisations and there is little objective commentary.  In the ‘Microsoft and VMware Compared Series, we are going to [...]

Fatal Error 205 installing System Centre VMM (Virtual machine manager)

One of the single most common errors I see with first time installers of System Centre VMM is the Fatal Error 205 and 99 times out of 100, its a very simple fix.  The computer account needs to be registered in the domain using the domains FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name).  To fix, place the [...]

Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 for Windows Server 2008 R2

From Jose Barreto’s Microsoft Blog, SUMMARY – You no longer need Storage Server to turn Windows into an iSCSI target LINKS – Download / Direct Link / More Info / Known Issues The text in full Introduction For the last few years, I’ve been blogging about the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target and its many uses [...]

Hyper-V Component Architecture 2K8R2+SP1

This poster provides a visual reference for understanding key Hyper-V technologies in Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1. It focuses on architecture, snapshots, live migration, virtual networking, storage, RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory. You can use this poster in conjunction with the previously published Windows Server 2008 Hyper-v Component Architecture, Windows Server 2008 and Windows [...]

What’s new with SP1 for VMM 2008 R2

As you all know that SP1 for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 just gone RTM adding two new virtualization capabilities: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX         Let’s first understand these capabilities in details. Dynamic Memory: An enhancement to Hyper-V R2, Dynamic Memory pools all the memory available on a physical host. [...]

How SP1 Improves Hyper-V in 2008R2

From the Microsoft Virtualization Team Blog On behalf of the Windows Server and Cloud teams at Microsoft, I’m pleased to announce that today we released Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 – adding two new virtualization capabilities: RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory.  SP1 will be made generally available for download on [...]

Updated Hyper-V Component Architecture Poster

I am a massive fan of the MS Posters, such a great way to have loads of at-a-glance information, the Hyper-V one has now been updated for 2008R2 SP1 Link Here

Windows 7 and Windows 2008R2 Service Pack 1 – Available Everywhere

To the general public, its now on Windows Update and available for distributed download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c3202ce6-4056-4059-8a1b-3a9b77cdfdda

Microsoft Releases Best Practice Analyser for Hyper-V

Microsoft has released this today. Details at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977238

Understanding Microsoft Virtualisation

It’s no secret that I am not a fan of Microsoft Virtualisation, they seem to be constantly two years behind VMware and are still taking an approach of delivering the hypervisor using a bloated hypervisor based on an aging kernal.   However, it won’t always be thus, through acquisition and sheer determination Microsoft will produce something [...]