Windows Server 2012: Hyper-V Storage Migration

On this guide, we will be testing the Storage Migration feature of the new Windows Server 2012 – Hyper-V

There are a lot of new features and improvements for the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2012.

Full features can be found on this link.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831410.aspx

Source: Microsoft Technet

This features move the Virtual disks to a different physical storage while the Virtual Machine remains running.

Lets Start.

On this guide, I have created a Windows 8 Virtual Machine. To test if there will be a downtime on the VM, I will be running a video and continuous ping to the internet.

The Windows 8 Virtual Machine is located on Drive C:\

An iSCSI drive is attached to on Drive E:\

Our goal is to move the entire Windows 8 VM to E:\

Here is the screenshot of the Windows 8 while running a movie.

 

1. Go back to the HyperV Manager, Right Click on the Windows 8 Machine then Click Move.

 

2. The Move Wizard will launch. Click Next

 

3. We will now choose the option, Move the virtual Machine’s Storage since our objective is to move it to the shared storage (drive e). Click Next

4. We will choose the “Move all of the virtual Machine’s data to a single location. Click Next. This option will move the Configuration and Virtual Harddisk.

 

5. Specify the new location of the Virtual Machine.

E:\Client2\

Click Next

6. Now we are ready for the move. Finalize if all are correct the hit Finish

 

As you can see on both screenshots, the VM is being transferred even if it is still up and running.

 

After moving, we will confirm by checking the Snapshot File Location, Virtual Disk location and checking Drive E:\

 

Also checked E:\

And we are done. We have confirmed that the Windows 8 VM was transferred to the iSCSI drive without turning it off.

Cheers!

Windows Server 2012: Hyper-V

Another lab on Windows Server 2012! A good way to explore and familiarize on this new operating system.

The aim of this guide is to show  the following:

• Join a member server to an existing Domain
  Enabling the Hyper-V Role
  Creating a Windows 8 on Hyper-V

Lets Start!

Update:

Network Settings.

I am currently using Vmware Workstation 8 for this Lab and this is how I set the Network settings for both machines:

Domain Controller:

Hostname: Server1

Ip Address: 192.168.0.100               Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

DNS: 127.0.0.1                                Gateway: 192.168.0.1

Hyper-V Server

Hostname: Server3

IP Address: 192.168.0.101                Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

DNS: 192.168.0.100                          Gateway: 192.168.0.1

First we provision a new machine. This machine will host the Hyper-V Role.

Assuming this you already setup the Network for this machine, we will now then join this to an existing domain, Virtuallab.local

Joining the Server to the Domain

1. Press the Windows Button on your Keyboard to launch the Metro UI

2. We will now open the Computer Properties. Right Click on the Computer Icon

3. Click Properties.

4. We will now Join this Server to our existing Domain. Click Change settings.

5. The System Properties will Popup. Click Change

6. Type in the Domain and Click Ok. On this guide, we have an existing domain called Virtuallab.local. You can see how we configured this Domain on another Guide on Windows 2012.

7. After Clicking ok, a dialog box asking for an Account with permission to join the domain. On this case, I have specified the Domain Administrator.

Username: Administrator

Password: P@ssw0rd

Click Ok.

A dialog box Confirms that we specified the correct credential. This will prompt a restart for the changes to take effect.

And our Member Server is now part of Virtuallab.local

Enabling the Hyper-V Role

1. To enable Hyper-V, Open the Server Manager and Click on the Add roles and features.

2. Click Next

3. Choose the Select a Server from the Server Pool. Click Next

4. Specify the Hyper-V Role

5. Click Add Features

6. Click Next

7. Click Next

8. Click Next

9. Specify the Virtual Switches. As you can see, I only have one Ethernet Adapter for my Host machine. This indicates that the Guest Machines will also use this Ethernet Adapter.

10. We wont be configuring the Virtual Machine Migration. Click Next

11. Specify the Location where to place the Harddisk files and Configuration Files for each Virtual Machines. Click Next

12. Finalize all the settings and Click Install. A reboot is necessary after installing Hyper-V

And we are done!

Creating a Virtual Machine

1. We will now launch the Hyper-V Manager.

Open the Server Manager. Click on Tools > Hyper-V Manager

2.  Click New > Virtual Machine

3. Click Next

4. Specify the Name and Location of the Virtual Machine. Click Next

5. Specify the RAM. Click Finish

6. Specify the Network . Click Next

7.  Specify the name of the Virtual Disk, its Location and Size. Click Next

8.  Click Finish

The Wizard will create the the Disk.

After creating the VM, Open the Hyper-V Manager > Right Click on the Newly Created Virtual Machine and Click Turn on. Install the Operating System as if you are running on a physical box.

Here is a finished Windows 8 Virtual Machine inside the Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V.

Troubleshooting

Hyper-V cannot be installed. A hypervisor is already running. This error appears since I am running this Server inside a Vmware Workstation. To fix this issue, we need to edit the Configuration file of this Vm.

Locate the VMX file, open it in notepad and add the following entries:

vhv.allow = TRUE

hypervisor.cpuid.v0 = FALSE

mce.enable = TRUE

Save the file and try again.

Done!