Where System Builders Talk Shop... : virtualization

Can you smell what the Virtualization Team is cooking?

BOBblog — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:10:00 GMT

The virtualization team has created some Virtualization cookbooks. These cookbooks are full of some awesome recipes using the Microsoft Virtualization stack. Take a moment and download these step by step instructions to become more familiar with the awesome potential virtualization brings to the table!

Before you Begin:

In order to learn the basics of using Virtual Server and Virtual Machine Manager, you will need the following hardware in your test environment when going through these cookbooks:

Two - three physical servers

The first physical server, DC_SRV, will host Virtual Server and System Center Virtual Machine Manager, and it must have one of the following operating systems installed on it:

Windows Server® 2003 Standard Edition (x86 or x64 Edition) or Enterprise Edition (x86 or x64 Edition), R2 SP1

To best ensure the responsiveness of the environment and to shorten the wait time for installations to complete, the server should have these recommended characteristics:

2 gigabytes (GB) RAM
2 GHz or faster CPU
10 GB free hard drive space
1 NIC

The second physical server, MEMBER_SRV1, represents your production workload that will undergo P2V migration. It must have the following operating system installed on it:

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition or Enterprise Edition, SP1 or later.

Note: SCVMM does not support 64-bit guest operating systems.

When doing the DPM and clustering labs, it will require a 3 rd physical servers. The third server, DPM_SRV, will host DPM.

Downloads:

Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=BC49C7C8-4840-4E67-8DC4-1E6E218ACCE4&displaylang=en

Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scvmm/bb679927.aspx

COOKBOOKS

Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1 and Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager
The goal of this cookbook is to provide the steps and guidance necessary for you to successfully install and configure Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 and System Center Virtual Machine Manager. You may then create and manage virtual machines, and perform P2V migration.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.SCVMM_FINAL.doc

Backup and Recovery using Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1 and Acronis® True Image 9.1 Enterprise Edition
The goal of this cookbook is to guide you through installing Acronis server imaging solutions for workgroups and installing Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1. The cookbook covers creating a virtual machine (to serve as a standby for recovery) and restoring the contents of a server representing your production workload to the waiting virtual machine.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.VS_Acronis_FINAL.doc

Microsoft® System Center Data Protection Manager 2007, Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1, and Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager
The scenario presented in this cookbook will take you through the steps necessary to install Virtual Server and SCVMM, and then convert a workload to a virtual machine. This cookbook also includes the steps necessary to install DPM and to back up a running virtual machine, as well as information about monitoring and reporting using DPM.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.SCVMM_DPM_FINAL.doc

Quick Migration with Virtual Server Host Clustering Windows Server® 2003 Enterprise Edition & Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1
This cookbook describes a simple configuration in which you use Virtual Server 2005 R2 to configure one guest operating system, and configure a server cluster that has two servers (nodes). With this configuration, you can migrate workloads easily from one node to the other.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.Quick_Migration_FINAL.doc

Mobile User Access of Applications. Terminal Server running on virtual machines using Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1
In this cookbook we will install Terminal Server on a virtual machine and access the terminal server remotely. We will also show how to install Remote Desktop Web Connection and how to configure Windows® Firewall to allow remote clients to access the terminal server.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.Terminal Services Presentation Virtualization_Final.doc

Hosted Backup and Recovery Solutions for Service Providers using DPM and VS
This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience providing data backup and recovery to customers as a hosted solution using Virtual Server and System Center Data Protection Manager 2007
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/0/4/5049f4b0-7ad1-4f34-8018-ef96af052a2c/Deployment_Cookbook.DPM_hosted_solution_FINAL.docx

Simple Offsite Backup and Recovery of virtual machines using DPM and VS
This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience providing data backup and recovery to customers as a hosted solution using Virtual Server and System Center Data Protection Manager 2007.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/0/4/5049f4b0-7ad1-4f34-8018-ef96af052a2c/Deployment_Cookbook.DPM_hosted_solution_FINAL.docx

Simple Onsite Backup and Recovery of virtual machines using DPM and VS
This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience for backing up and restoring running virtual machines using Virtual Server and System Center Data Protection Manager 2007.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/b/d/fbd28458-c41c-4414-b530-869af4e49014/Deployment_Cookbook.DPM_onsite_backup_FINAL.doc

High Availability with VS and WS03R2 Enterprise Server Clustering
This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience for implementing high availability of server workloads using Windows Server 2003 Server Clustering and Virtual Server using Intel-based hardware.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/9/e/49e943a6-060b-4a1b-89eb-3962b748d200/Deployment_Cookbook.Host_Clustering_FINAL.doc

Application Isolation and Operation in BO Using VS
This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience for isolating and operating applications on separate virtual machines in branch offices using Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1, in an Intel-based hardware environment for regulatory compliance and improved legacy workload performance.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/d/b/4db13d05-f000-46c9-9767-5d07b3ad8609/Deployment_Cookbook.VS_branch_office_FINAL.doc

Q&A from Creating a Virtual Server 2005 R2 Test/Demo Environment webcast

BOBblog — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:21:00 GMT

Hello Everyone,

Below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Thursday, August 23, 2007, webcast “Creating a Virtual Server 2005 R2 Test/Demo Environment” (http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6506). To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/bobwired. Look for BOB Decks: US System Builder Webcast Slide Decks to find a link with a username & password to access a number of BOB Team documents.

Q: Where can I find more documentation on installing and managing Virtual Server 2005 R2?

A: Please visit the Virtual Server 2005 Technical Library at http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/bcc5e200-88af-4a64-963b-55f1efb251d11033.mspx.

Q: Where can I find more information about Virtual Server and clustering?

A: Please visit http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/9a3de6d0-c820-41ac-860c-de950d271f8d1033.mspx.

Q: Can you use Virtual Server 2005 R2 to test Windows Server 2008 beta 3 as a guest operating system?

A: Yes, this is an excellent example for using a virtual machine!

Q: What host operating system should I use to achieve the best performance with Virtual Server 2005 R2?

A: For maximum performance and scalability, use the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise or Datacenter Edition.

Q: Can you run Virtual Server 2005 R2 on machines with CPUs that don’t support hardware assisted virtualization?

A: Yes. Virtual Server will take advantage of those features if they exist, but will run without them as well.

Q: Can you migrate an existing production server to a virtual machine without having to reinstall the OS, just push it to the virtual file format?

A: Yes. Currently you would use the Virtual Server Migration Toolkit. With the upcoming release of System Center Virtual Machine Manager this process becomes even easier. Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/scvmm/default.mspx.

Q: When using differencing disks, can multiple virtual machines use the same base disk simultaneously?

A: Absolutely. The base disk is used as a read-only “parent” for as many “child” differencing disks as you want.

Q: Where can I find more information about licensing issues and scenarios when using virtualization?

A: Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/highlights/virtualization.mspx.

Q: Does the current licensing model allow a company to take legacy hardware out of service and transfer its OS to a virtual machine?

A: This depends on the type of licenses in the environment. For example, OEM licenses cannot be moved to new PCs or to a virtual instance. However, other license types may allow this.

Q: How to I backup virtual machines?

A: There are basically two approaches. The first is to install your normal backup software on your guest operating systems and use the same processes and procedures that you use to backup your physical machines. The second approach is to simply make copies the .vmc and .vhd files that constitute the virtual machine.

Q: What are the main differences between Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 and competing products?

A: Please see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/evaluation/revguide.mspx.

Q: Does the virtual SCSI host adapter for virtual machines work with Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) on the host machine?

A: It doesn’t matter to the virtual machines what the actual physical hard drives are on the host. Anything that is supported by the host operating system can be used to store the configuration and data files that comprise a virtual machine.

Q: Is it possible to store the configuration and data files for a virtual machine on an external drive?

A: Yes, in fact this can be a great solution when using a laptop in a demonstration scenario when the external drive has better performance characteristics than the laptop’s internal hard drive.

Q: Is it beneficial to use the virtual SCSI host adapter even if we're using SATA/IDE physically?

A: Yes. Although the best performance will be realized when physical SCSI drives are used as well, there is still a benefit to the virtual machines when using the virtual SCSI host bus adapter.

Q: Can you change the attachment for an existing virtual hard drive from IDE to SCSI?

A: Yes. Edit the virtual machine’s (VM) configuration to add a SCSI host adapter, and then edit the VM’s hard disk attachments to use SCSI.

Q: If Virtual Server is installed on an NTFS formatted drive, how will this affect a guest OS that is only capable of FAT32?

A: The virtual hard disks for a virtual machine are created, partitioned, and formatted independently from the underlying host operating system’s hard disk configuration. As a result, they can be configured to match the requirements of the guest OS.

Q: If you set up a Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 environment, can Virtual Server be in such an environment?

A: Yes.

Q: After setting up a virtual machine and loading a guest OS, when you are done with the guest OS how do you delete it from the host computer? When you remove it from Virtual Server it seems to still be physically on the hard drive.

A: You need to manually delete the actual files (.vmc and any .vhd’s) that were created for the virtual machine.

Q: Can you have both Virtual PC 2007 and Virtual Server 2005 R2 installed on the same host machine?

A: Yes. If you do so, I would recommend installing VPC first and then Virtual Server.

Q: Can you use a hard disk image from Virtual Server on Virtual PC and vice versa?

A: Yes, the .vhd files are compatible between the two products.

Q: What was the URL mentioned during the webcast for the blog that described how to configure IIS for running Virtual Server on Windows Vista?

A: http://blog.wadewegner.com/2007/03/03/InstallingVirtualServer2005R2OnWindowsVistaUpdated.aspx

Q: Can you recommend an application for creating ISO's?

A: There are many good tools for this, I have had success with ISORecorder.

Webcast: Creating a Virtual Server 2005 R2 Test-Demo Environment

BOBblog — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:14:00 GMT

WHEN: Thursday, August 23, 2007 9 AM Pacific

WHERE: http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6506

WHAT: You have all heard the buzz, now get in the game. Whether you are looking to consolidate infrastructure, host legacy applications, create development and test environments, provide training, or demonstrate entire technology scenarios to your customers, virtualization is the solution. Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 is an ideal, production-quality server for consolidating multiple workloads onto a single physical server, allowing organizations to make more efficient use of their hardware resources. Virtual Server enables IT organizations to enhance their administrative productivity and rapidly deploy new servers to address changing business needs through automated deployment and configuration when used with System Center Virtual Machine Manager. Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 now provides improved performance for non-Windows guest operating systems by leveraging hardware-assisted virtualization, high availability for both planned and unplanned downtime, and improved support for backup and disaster recovery.

In this webcast, we will take a closer look at what Virtual Server is, what it can do, how it’s different from Virtual PC, and when you would use one versus the other. We’ll discuss the hardware and software requirements, including the fact that a suitable laptop running Windows XP Professional makes an ideal portable technology demonstration lab. But the real focus of the presentation will be on the installation and configuration of Virtual Server—how to get it up and running so that you can take advantage of virtualization to enhance your business.