What’s new with SP1 for VMM 2008 R2

(Post courtesy Iftekhar Hussain)

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. Dynamic Memory then dynamically distributes available memory, as it is needed, to virtual machines running on that host. Then with Dynamic Memory Balancing, virtual machines will be able to receive new memory allocations, based on changes in workload, without a service interruption.

RemoteFX: Microsoft RemoteFX leverages the power of virtualized graphics resources and advanced codecs to recreate the fidelity of hardware-assisted graphics acceleration, including support for 3D content and Windows Aero, on a remote user’s device. This allows for a local-like, remote experience.

In the light of new features, service Pack 1 will also be released for VMM 2008 R2 to manage Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX on multiple Hyper V Servers from a single pane of glass.

Lets understand the requirements on your Hyper V hosts and VMs to be able to manage by VMM 2008 R2.

System Requirement for Manage Dynamic Memory:

• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Host
• Supported Operating System in the VM
• Upgrade Integration Services in the VM

RemoteFX Requirements on Hosts

• CPU must support SLAT
• One or more GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) that support DirectX 10
• Enough GPU Memory available for max monitors and resolution
• RemoteFX feature enabled under the Remote Desktop Services Role

RemoteFX requirements on VMs

• Supported Operating System in the VM
• New Integration Services (part of Windows 7 SP1)
• Can be combined with Dynamic Memory

VMM 2008 R2 SP1 now has settings to manage Dynamic Memory setting of VMs which are as follows:

• Startup Memory (8 to 65536 MB)
• Maximum Memory (8 to 65536 MB)
• Memory Buffer (0 to 95%)
• Memory Priority
• Normal, Low, High
• Custom (0 – 10000)

To manage the RemoteFX , following settings have been added

• Default Standard video adapter
• New RemoteFX 3D video adapter
• Maximum number of monitors: 1,2,3,4
• Max monitor resolution
  • 1024x768 (4 monitors max)
  • 1280x1024 (4 monitors max)
  • 1600x1200 (3 monitors max)
  • 1920x1200 (2 monitors max)
• Additional VM property
• GPU ID (PowerShell only)

Since RemoteFX requires you to have SLAT CPU and specific GPU and available GPU memmory, VMM 2008 R2 SP1 will also let you identify the following on the hosts.

1. CPU Supports SLAT

2. GPU and available Memory

3. Intelligent Placement

While creating a new VM or migrating a new VM from one host to another, VMM 2008 R2 SP1 added new check for Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX in the Intelligent placement.

• Use Current Memory footprint for DM VMs on hosts: While doing the migration or creating new VM, VMM will check how much is the current memory the VM is running with, for E.g, you have specified startup memory as 1 GB and max memory as 6 GB but at the time of migration the VM is running at 2 GB memory. In that case, VMM will check if the other host has at least 2 GB free memory to be able to migrate this VM.
• Check for GPU-compatibility when migrating RemoteFX VMs : While migrating a RemoteFX based VM, VMM 2008 R2 checks if identical GPU is available on the other hosts with required memory, Remote FX should be enabled in RDS.

4. Updates to Performance and Resource Optimization

PRO ties specific Operations Manager alerts to remediation actions in VMM, VMM moves a load-balance VMs in a cluster when CPU or Memory exceed a threshold. SP1 update to VMM PRO Pack a consider Current Memory utilization and not the fixed memory for DM VMs and matches it with the memory available on the other nodes.

How do I upgrade from SCVMM 2008 R2 to SP1?

Pretty simple, just 4 steps to upgrade

• Backup VMM Database
• Launch setup and follow the Upgrade Wizard
• Repeat on each box [Console, Self-Service Web Server, Operations Manager Server]
• Remove, then import new PRO Management Pack in Operations Manager
• R2 Agents are supported in SP1, no need to re-deploy agents to Hosts and Library Servers
• Upgrade the Integration components on all the VMs.

VMM 2008 R2 SP1 will take the virtualization management to a whole new level and is scheduled to be released within 30 days of SP1 released by the Windows Server Team. So we can expect it sometime next month.

I hope this post was of some help for those who are expecting VMM to be able to manage Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX on multiple hosts from a single console instead of managing it locally using Hyper V manager on each box.

If you have any further queries, please feel free to reach me

Cheers

Iftekhar