The second virtualization software that we use and support is the Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2. This virtualization software is designed by Microsoft with Microsoft in mind which is why it has yet to catch on in popularity the way VMware has.
Hyper-V has three main benefits:
- Improved Server Utilization
- Small Footprint
- Minimal Overhead
Hyper-V improves your server utilization by providing virtualization technology for your servers. These benefits are vast and are helpful for any company. This is something that all virtualization software does, but Microsoft is relatively new to this industry and they want to advertise these basic things.
The small footprint that Hyper-V creates is definitely something not found in all virtualization software. This small footprint comes directly from the fact that Hyper-V only comes with the Windows Hypervisor, Windows Server driver model, and virtualization components. The inclusion of those elements makes the software very small and very simple.
Hyper-V does create a minimal overhead by consolidating your physical servers into virtual servers which is another aspect of virtualization in general. Once again, Microsoft wants people to know that their product does perform basic virtualization tasks.
The big thing that Hyper-V offers consumers is its dynamic memory which allows you to decide how much of the server memory should be allocated to each running machine. This greatly improves performance and really sets Hyper-V apart from other virtualization software.
The truth of the matter is that Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 is great for companies that want to keep with the Microsoft theme. It is one of the best options out there for virtualization, but there are better options available. The biggest drawback to them is that they are not Microsoft.
Click here to learn about VMware, the leader in virtualization software.
