Hyper-V virtualises the system resources of a physical computer. Computer virtualization allows you to provide a virtualised environment for operating systems and applications. When used alone, Hyper-V™ is typically used for server computer virtualisation. When Hyper-V is used in conjunction with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Hyper-V is used for client computer virtualisation.
Windows Server 2008 server virtualisation using Hyper-V technology has been an integral part of the operating system. Windows Server 2008 R2 introduces a new version of Hyper-V. Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 R2 includes three core areas of improvement for creating dynamic virtual data centers:
Live Migration:
Live Migration uses the new Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV) feature within Failover Clustering in Windows Server 2008 R2. The CSV volumes enable multiple nodes in the same failover cluster to concurrently access the same Logical Unit Number (LUN). From a VM’s perspective, each VM appears to actually own a LUN; however, the .vhd files for each VM are stored on the same CSV volume.
Improved Cluster Node Connectivity Fault Tolerance:
Because of the architecture of CSV, there is improved cluster node connectivity fault tolerance that directly affects VMs running on the cluster. The CSV architecture implements a mechanism, known as dynamic I/O redirection, where I/O can be rerouted within the failover cluster based on connection availability.
Enhanced Cluster Validation Tool:
Windows Server 2008 R2 includes a Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) for all major server roles, including Failover Clustering. This analyzer examines the best practices configuration settings for a cluster and cluster nodes.