John Howard IT Pro Evangelist Microsoft UK Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 A Technical Overview

Agenda Overview and Architecture Configuration & Capabilities

Overview and Architecture Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 NT4 application migration Test/development automation Departmental/branch server consolidation

Overview and Architecture Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 vs. Microsoft Virtual PC Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 –Multi-threaded services optimized for server performance –Includes Web Console for remote management –Includes COM API for scripted virtual machine management Microsoft Virtual PC –GUI optimized for desktop PC performance Common VM technology that is compatible

Overview and Architecture Supported Operating Systems Host Operating System –Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition –Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition –Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition Windows Server 2003 Web Edition is not supported. Guest Operating System –Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Standard and Advanced Editions –Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Standard, Advanced and Datacenter Editions –Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter Editions

x86/x64 server x86/x64 server Application Guest OS Virtual H/W Up to 32 host CPUs Up to 64GB host RAM VS leverages existing system storage, networking and security infrastructure –Teamed NICs, teamed HBAs VS Standard Edition Optimized for Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (2-4P/32GB) VS Enterprise Edition Optimized for Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (<8P/64GB) Support for X64 OS due in Virtual Server SP1 (32bit Guests) Up to 32 host CPUs Up to 64GB host RAM VS leverages existing system storage, networking and security infrastructure –Teamed NICs, teamed HBAs VS Standard Edition Optimized for Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (2-4P/32GB) VS Enterprise Edition Optimized for Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (<8P/64GB) Support for X64 OS due in Virtual Server SP1 (32bit Guests) Overview and Architecture Virtual Server Architecture

x86/x64 server x86/x64 server Application Guest OS Virtual H/W VS works with Windows: –Heartbeat from kernel/ scheduler –Windows Device drivers VS works with Windows: –Heartbeat from kernel/ scheduler –Windows Device drivers Overview and Architecture Virtual Server Architecture

x86/x64 server x86/x64 server Application Guest OS Virtual H/W Virtualization infrastructure VM monitor COM API Resource management WMI/event log integration Multiple Threaded Support Virtualization infrastructure VM monitor COM API Resource management WMI/event log integration Multiple Threaded Support Overview and Architecture Virtual Server Architecture

x86/x64 server x86/x64 server Application Guest OS Virtual H/W Industry-standard device models Intel 440BX motherboard Intel NIC S3 Trio64 SVGA with 2D hardware acceleration IDE/ATAPI controller Adaptec 2940 SCSI controller Legacy devices KBD, Mouse, COM, LPT ports. NO custom drivers in guest Industry-standard device models Intel 440BX motherboard Intel NIC S3 Trio64 SVGA with 2D hardware acceleration IDE/ATAPI controller Adaptec 2940 SCSI controller Legacy devices KBD, Mouse, COM, LPT ports. NO custom drivers in guest Overview and Architecture Virtual Server Architecture

x86/x64 server x86/x64 server Application Guest OS Virtual H/W Guest OS: –Runs all major x86 OSes –3.6GB RAM –4 NICs –56.5TB storage (IDE -SCSI) –2-N failover MSCS clustering VM to VM same VS Host Server SCSI limits cluster size ISCSI will support more cluster nodes and VM to VM clusters across hosts. Guest OS: –Runs all major x86 OSes –3.6GB RAM –4 NICs –56.5TB storage (IDE -SCSI) –2-N failover MSCS clustering VM to VM same VS Host Server SCSI limits cluster size ISCSI will support more cluster nodes and VM to VM clusters across hosts. Overview and Architecture Virtual Server Architecture

Agenda Overview and Architecture Configuration and Capabilities

Configuration and Capabilities Virtual Machine Files Virtual Machine configuration file –XML file contains all configuration metadata –Can be copied to another host server for redeployment Virtual Hard Disk file –Is the hard disk in the virtual machine –Can be copied to another host server for redeployment Virtual Network configuration file –XML file contains all configuration metadata –Can be copied to another host server for redeployment

Configuration and Capabilities Virtual Machine States On/Off Paused Saved/Restored/Discard Reset

Configuration and Capabilities Disk Drives Four disk drive types –Dynamically expanding –Fixed size –Difference drive –Linked drive – Uses a physical drive Undo disks –Updates are committed or discarded at shutdown

Configuration and Capabilities Virtual Machine Remote Control VMRC Protocol –Access to BIOS –Operating System Independent –Service hosted by Virtual Server –Can be encrypted via SSL RDP Protocol –No Access to machine BIOS –Limited to OS that hosts Terminal Services

Monitoring Status & Resource Allocation Scripting COM API –Web console = reference implementation –Fully-documented: 28 classes and 363 calls –Support for all COM-capable languages XML configuration files –Extensible VM descriptors –Management solutions can leverage/enrich metadata

Configuration and Capabilities CPU Resource Allocation Relative Weight –Most often used –Virtual Server assigns CPU time Reserved Capacity –Minimum CPU threshold Maximum Capacity –Maximum CPU threshold

John Howard IT Pro Evangelist Microsoft UK Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 A Technical Overview