Microsoft serves up Hyper-V R2

Windows Server 2008 R2 is available free to users

The virtualisation stakes are really hotting up, with Microsoft launching the final parts of its Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 offering, just days before arch rival VMware’s annual VMworld conference kicks off.

Hyper-V Server 2008 is the standalone version of Microsoft’s popular Hyper-v virtualisation product for x64 systems, targeted at small and medium sized businesses.

The new version includes new features such as Live Migration and High Availability at no exta charge, according to Microsoft. The former has been designed to allow IT administartors to migrate their virtual machines to another server, shut down the physical server and perform maintenance – all with zero downtime.

High Availability, meanwhile, is designed to help firms cope with unplanned downtime.

“For example, suppose someone accidentally unplugs the wrong power cable on a server,” explained Jeff Wolsey, principal group program manager for Windows Server, Hyper-V.

“The virtual machine on the server that just unexpectedly went down will automatically restart on another node without any user intervention.”

The new Hyper-V Server offering also includes Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV) capabilities to ease storage management and help firms run “multiple virtual machines from a single LUN”, added Wolsey.

Microsoft is hoping to turn up the heat on industry pioneer VMware with this free product, and according to new reports is to sever its sponsorship of the VMworld show, after a row with VMware.

Although Redmond has, as a gold sponsor, ploughed money into previous shows, it claims that VMware is limiting its ability to compete at the show, and will merely become an exhibitor at next week’s event, according to the reports. Citrix is also said to be withdrawing support.