HyperV vs HyperV R2 Comparison

Hyper-V vs. Hyper-V R2

If you are planning to upgrade to Hyper-V Server R2, allow our Hyper-V Consultants help you in the process. Our Microsoft Virtualization Professionals are part of a Microsoft Gold Certified Firm with verifiable real world experience on Hyper-V R2.  Miles Consulting Corp not only runs it own datacenter on Hyper-V R2, but has successfully deployed Microsoft Hyper-V for our early-adopter clients.  We are also one of the first Gold Certified Partners to be awarded a Virtualization Competency from Microsoft.
 HyperV versus HyperV R2
The following is some information about the new features in Hyper-V Server R2:

What's new in Hyper-V Server R2

Failover Clustering
The initial release of Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 did not include support for failover clustering. However, with Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, host clustering technology is included to enable support for unplanned downtime. It's advisable to use the new Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV) feature of Failover Clustering in Windows Server 2008 R2 with live migration. CSV provides increased reliability when used with live migration and virtual machines, and also provides a single, consistent file namespace so that all servers running Windows Server 2008 R2 see the same storage. In addition, failover clustering requires shared storage for the cluster nodes. This can include an iSCSI or Fiber-Channel Storage Area Network (SAN).

Live Migration
Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 includes support for live migration. Live migration enables customers to move running applications between servers without service interruptions. Live migration requires the failover clustering role to be added and configured on the servers running Hyper-V.

Live migration does the following to facilitate greater flexibility and value:
  • Provides better agility. Datacenters with multiple servers running Hyper-V can move running virtual machines to the best physical computer for performance, scaling, or optimal consolidation without affecting users.
  • Reduces costs. Datacenters with multiple servers running Hyper-V can service their servers without causing virtual machine downtime or the need to schedule a maintenance window. Datacenters will also be able to reduce power consumption by dynamically increasing consolidation ratios and turning off unused servers during times of lower demand.
  • Increases productivity. It is possible to keep virtual machines online, even during maintenance, which increases productivity for both users and server administrators.
Processor and memory support
Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 now supports up to 8-socket physical systems and provides support for up to 32-cores. In addition, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 supports up to 1TB of RAM on a physical system.


 

Hyper-V Server 2008

Hyper-V Server 2008 R2
Maximum number of x64 Processor sockets (physical processors)

4

8
Maximum number of Processor cores (logical processors)

24

32
Maximum amount of RAM

32 GB

1 TB
Maximum number of running Virtual Guests

192

256

 

 
Updated Hyper-V Configuration Utility
The Hyper-V Configuration utility is designed to simplify the most common initial configuration tasks. It helps you configure the initial configuration settings without having to type long command-line strings. New configuration options have been added for R2 including:
  • Remote Management Configuration 
  • Failover Clustering Configuration 
  • Additional options for Updates
Virtualization Platform Comparison
The following is an overview comparison of the feature and support set for:
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2  
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (Enterprise and Datacenter Editions)

Capabilities

Microsoft Hyper-V
Server 2008

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008 R2 EE, DC

Processor Architecture x64 only

Yes

Yes

Yes

Hypervisor-based

Yes

Yes

Yes

Product Type

Standalone product

Standalone product

Operating System

Number of Sockets (Licensing)

Up to 4

Up to 8

Up to 8 = EE | Up to 64 = DC

Number of cores supported by the hypervisor

24 (with QFE)

32

32

Memory

Up to 32 GB

Up to 1 TB

Up to 1TB

VM Migration

None

Quick and live migration

Quick and live  migration (EE & DC)

Administrative UI

Command line, text based configuration utility  and remote GUI management

Command line, text based configuration utility  and remote GUI management

Command line, remote management, and local GUI  (Hyper-V Manager MMC)
Management

Existing management tools
Virtualization Rights for Windows Server guests

0

0

EE = 4 VM

DC Edition = unlimited VM per proc
Number of running VM Guests Up to 192, or as many as physical resources allow Up to 256, or as many as physical resources allow Up to 256, or as many as physical resources allow
Storage Direct Attach Storage (DAS): SATA, eSATA, PATA, SAS, SCSI, Firewire, Storage Area Networks (SANs): iSCSI, Fiber Channel, SAS
Planned Guest OS support Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows 2000 Server, Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 & Windows XP SP3/SP2
 

Improvements to existing HyperV functionality

Dynamic virtual machine storage. Improvements to virtual machine storage include support for hot plug-in and hot removal of the storage. By supporting the addition or removal of virtual hard disks and physical disks while a virtual machine is running, it is possible to quickly reconfigure virtual machines to meet changing requirements. You can also add and remove both virtual hard disks and physical disks to existing SCSI controllers of virtual machines. Hot plug-in and removal of storage requires the installation of Hyper-V integration services (included in Windows Server 2008 R2) on the guest operating system.

Enhanced processor support. You can now have up to 32 physical processor cores. The increased processor support makes it possible to run even more demanding workloads on a single host. In addition, there is support for Second-Level Address Translation (SLAT) and CPU Core Parking. CPU Core Parking enables Windows and Hyper-V to consolidate processing onto the fewest number of possible processor cores, and suspends inactive processor cores. SLAT adds a second level of paging below the architectural x86/x64 paging tables in x86/x64 processors. It provides an indirection layer from virtual machine memory access to the physical memory access. In virtualization scenarios, hardware-based SLAT support improves performance. On Intel-based processors, this is called Extended Page Tables (EPT), and on AMD-based processors, it is called Nested Page Tables (NPT).

Enhanced networking support. Support for jumbo frames, which was previously available in nonvirtual environments, has been extended to be available on virtual machines. This feature enables virtual machines to use jumbo frames up to 9,014 bytes in size, if the underlying physical network supports it.

Availability
Hyper-V R2 is not available for Windows Server® 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems and Windows® Web Server 2008 R2.


About Miles Consulting Corp

Our team of Hyper-V Consultants will help you on upgrading your current Hyper-V Server to Release 2.  Call our Hyper-V Experts at 866-844-5055 and find out how our virtualization specialists can help your enterprise network.
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