Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

• How OS components affect Windows and Hyper-V containers

  Serious issues can occur during updates in a production environment if the four levels of the version system don't match up between Windows or Hyper-V containers and the Windows Server host.  Continue Reading

• Do you meet the requirements for Hyper-V containers?

  Not only do you need Windows Server 2016 on the host system and Server Core in the VM to run Hyper-V containers, you also need to meet a list of resources for deployment.  Continue Reading

• Docker on Windows Server allows for container use and management

  Deploy containers on premises, in the cloud or on other systems by installing Docker on Windows Server 2016. Also, download a module to extend PowerShell to manage Docker Engine.  Continue Reading

• Execute Import-VM and Export-VM PowerShell commands in Hyper-V

  Although you can use Hyper-V Manager or SCVMM to import and export VMs, it's just as easy to use a couple PowerShell commands to perform those actions.  Continue Reading

• Check the system hardware for Hyper-V requirements

  Not only do you need a hardware processor that can support a virtual environment, but you also need additional support to take advantage of some Hyper-V features.  Continue Reading

• Solve common vCPU troubleshooting issues

  Performance problems can be caused by a number of things, including overprovisioning and poor vCPU selection and assignment to VMs. Use these strategies to correct mistakes.  Continue Reading

• Allocate the right amount of virtual processor resources to a VM

  Think about what types of workloads are running on a VM before assigning compute resources, and consider using vCPUs from different cores for demanding workloads.  Continue Reading

• Understand vCPU affinity and anti-affinity features

  Manage vCPU distribution with affinity and anti-affinity features to alleviate the potential performance problems that can be caused by hyper-threading.  Continue Reading

• Processor resource management from CPU to vCPU

  Traditionally, CPUs used one thread and consisted of a single core, but now, they can be hyper-threaded, hold more cores and can be abstracted in virtual environments.  Continue Reading

• Achieve the best VM networking performance

  Start by using multiple NICs and organizing complementary VMs on the same host. Also, consider reserving network traffic by type and using hardware support for virtualization.  Continue Reading

• Storage I/O control and other strategies to prevent VM storage problems

  Ensure adequate VM storage resources by reducing VM count per LUN, using queue depth throttling, limiting disk requests, enabling SIOC features and monitoring storage latency.  Continue Reading

• Optimize memory resources in your virtual environment

  Beyond allocating the right amount of memory to each workload, virtualization administrators have the option of using various memory management techniques.  Continue Reading

• Make the most of your vCPU resources with these tips

  Be sure to provision the right virtual CPUs to a VM and be aware of processor hyper-threading. Also, use CPU affinity strategically and scale out rather than up.  Continue Reading

• Force a full or delta Azure AD synchronization with these methods

  PowerShell is just one way to trigger AD synchronization when troubleshooting, making configuration changes or ensuring a consistent copy of on-premises AD.  Continue Reading

• Take advantage of new functionalities for Hyper-V Generation 2 VMs

  Windows Server 2016 provides advanced security for VMs and enables the user to boot Linux VMs securely and to hot add and remove network cards and memory.  Continue Reading

• Solve these common NIC team problems in Hyper-V

  Before you encounter noncompliant hardware, integrated security errors and configuration issues, read this expert advice so you know what to do when the time comes.  Continue Reading

• What features does Hyper-V NIC teaming support?

  NIC support for a VMQ and HNV are just a couple features that further improve performance and reliability. Learn more about these technologies so you can use them effectively.  Continue Reading

• Configure NIC teaming with different modes in Hyper-V

  The switch independent mode uses different switches and can support both active/active and active/standby operation, while the dependent mode only uses one switch.  Continue Reading

• Why should you use Hyper-V NIC teaming in your virtual environment?

  NIC teaming in Windows Server 2016 allows administrators to achieve greater network bandwidth and fault tolerance and can be easily managed through PowerShell, among other tools.  Continue Reading

• Use PowerShell when working with Hyper-V checkpoints

  With just a PowerShell cmdlet or two, you can create Hyper-V checkpoints, get a list of all existing checkpoints for a VM or revert a VM to a specific checkpoint.  Continue Reading

• When should you deploy containerized applications?

  Cleanly divided and straightforward applications are good candidates for a container-based deployment, whereas complex applications pose more challenges.  Continue Reading

• Container performance troubleshooting challenges and tips

  Assessing the impact of containers on application workloads can be extremely challenging, partially because of how quickly containers are spun up and down compared to VMs.  Continue Reading

• What container management tools can you use in virtual environments?

  There are many tools that help with container orchestration, but it's important to review all the features before choosing a platform to make sure it meets your needs.  Continue Reading

• Adopt a container platform that best meets your needs

  Container platforms, like Docker and Windows Server, all have their strong suits; be sure to research OS support, security, portability and community support before adoption.  Continue Reading

• How should you use containers in your virtual environment?

  Container technology is good for workloads that require fast iteration and portability, but management, resilience and security are important challenges to take into account.  Continue Reading

• Check configuration settings for SCVMM service templates

  A misconfigured SCVMM service template can cause serious headaches. Before deploying service templates in production, validate them with SCVMM Manager or PowerShell.  Continue Reading

• What are the most common mistakes made when creating a VMware DR plan?

  DR planning mistakes are easy to make. Avoid selecting a tool that doesn't meet your needs or that's overly complex, carefully consider the replication site and test frequently.  Continue Reading

• The crucial steps to include in a VMware DR plan

  Establishing a DR plan for a VMware environment can be overwhelming. How do you design a plan that prioritizes VMs and manage your infrastructure to prevent failures?  Continue Reading

• What are the pros and cons of Windows vs. Linux server OSes?

  Linux licensing is more affordable than Windows Server licensing, but that doesn't necessarily make the Linux server OS the better option for your data center.  Continue Reading

• What types of VMware DR tools can be used for planning and execution?

  DR in large virtualized environments can be a challenge. Use VMware DR tools like vSAN, vSphere Replication and vCloud Air Disaster Recovery to ease planning.  Continue Reading

• Which third-party products can you use for VMware disaster recovery?

  Native VMware disaster recovery might not make sense for every company. Which third-party products can help fill feature gaps?  Continue Reading

• How do I find a VM host computer in a Microsoft or VMware environment?

  Virtualization offers many advantages by abstracting workloads from hardware, but you may still need to find the VM host computer. You can do so using these queries and commands.  Continue Reading

• How do you verify SCVMM Run As account credentials with PowerShell?

  When our Run As account experiences issues, SCVMM doesn't show an error message. How do I check account credentials to ensure they're correct?  Continue Reading

• Use PowerShell to export, back up SCVMM service templates

  It's getting difficult to keep track of all the service templates in SCVMM. Is there a simple command that enables us to query and export them easily?  Continue Reading

• What virtualization management tools are useful in a KVM environment?

  In addition to virt-manager, consider using other tools, such as oVirt, Mist.io, Proxmox VE or Kimchi, to effectively manage VMs in your KVM environment.  Continue Reading

• Master the KVM management tool, virt-manager, with these strategies

  The virt-manager suite can be used to manage servers and build clouds, but it also has advanced features for live migration, load balancing and resource monitoring.  Continue Reading

• What types of environments benefit from the KVM module?

  Although KVM is a good fit for production environments, busy enterprises, mixed workload environments and private clouds, keep these considerations in mind when using it.  Continue Reading

• How does KVM technology differ from the competition?

  KVM is an open source Linux module that is widely considered to be a type 1 hypervisor because it runs directly on hardware and can use processor extensions.  Continue Reading

• What PowerShell commands are used to configure Hyper-V replication?

  Use these simple PowerShell commands to enable Hyper-V Replica, to initiate replication for a specific VM and to obtain the replication status for that VM.  Continue Reading

• Can you upgrade Windows Server 2012 R2 cluster nodes without downtime?

  Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V includes a new feature called Cluster Rolling Upgrade that allows you to upgrade Windows Server 2012 R2 cluster nodes without any downtime.  Continue Reading

• How do you set up Hyper-V shared nothing live migration?

  Microsoft Hyper-V shared nothing live migration helps organizations migrate VMs to improve the availability of workloads in environments without expensive storage area networks.  Continue Reading

• The functionality of Hyper-V virtual switches in Windows Server 2016

  There are three types of Hyper-V virtual switches in Windows Server 2016. The key to using them effectively in a production environment is to understand what sets them apart.  Continue Reading

• Supported guest operating systems for Hyper-V 2016

  Hyper-V 2016 supports newer guest OSes with a maximum number of vCPUs and automatic Integration Services installation. For older guest OSes, manual installation is still required.  Continue Reading

• Upgrade the VM configuration version in Hyper-V in just two steps

  Because the VM configuration version won't be automatically updated when you upgrade to Windows Server 2016, you'll have to do it manually by following these steps.  Continue Reading

• When is hyper-threading performance not worth the hassle?

  Hyper-threading can go a long way in terms of helping system administrators boost processor performance, but admins should be warned that it doesn't necessarily guarantee results.  Continue Reading

• How to enable hyper-threading in VMware vSphere 6

  Enabling hyper-threading in a hypervisor is easier than you might think. Follow these simple steps to take advantage of hyper-threading technology in VMware vSphere 6.  Continue Reading

• Check system requirements before using a hyper-threaded processor

  From watching CPU affinity settings to checking for processor availability, there are things you should consider before using a hyper-threaded processor within a hypervisor.  Continue Reading

• Understanding the pros and cons of hyper-threading

  Depending on the scenario, hyper-threading can help or hurt processor performance in a virtual server. The trick to good performance is figuring out when to enable it.  Continue Reading

• SCVMM 2016 tips: Hot adding vNIC and modifying memory for running VMs

  Features that help with VM operational tasks in SCVMM 2016 include hot adding vNIC and modifying memory for running VMs. Do so with the following PowerShell cmdlets and tips.  Continue Reading

• What are the significant changes to System Center 2016?

  Microsoft won't include App Controller and Server App-V via VMM in its System Center 2016 suite, so organizations might need to modify their WAP environment management practices.  Continue Reading

• How to use esxtop to monitor ESXi storage performance

  The esxtop utility provides VMware administrators with valuable performance data, but do you know the most important storage metrics to watch?  Continue Reading

• Tracking down storage latency in VMs

  Where can storage performance or latency problems occur in virtualized systems?  Continue Reading

• How should you manage virtualization and security risks?

  Once thought to be a security risk, virtualization is now a trusted technology. However, poor security practices can still leave you vulnerable.  Continue Reading

• What kind of VM management software can improve security?

  Some products are better suited to ensuring your virtual infrastructure stays secure and up to date.  Continue Reading

• How can VM configuration improve security?

  Keeping your hypervisor patched is an obvious step to prevent attacks, but proper VM configuration management is also important to overall security.  Continue Reading

• How can testing improve nested hypervisor performance?

  Not all hypervisors and OSes can play nice with others. The best method for avoiding complications down the road is to thoroughly test your nested virtualization deployment.  Continue Reading

• Distinguishing a host hypervisor from a nested hypervisor

  Theoretically, there is no limit on how 'deep' a nested VM can go. The best way to avoid any confusion is to appropriately label hypervisor nesting levels.  Continue Reading

• Which hypervisors support nested VMs?

  Interested in giving nested virtualization a try in your data center? There are a few software and hardware requirements you'll have to meet first.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2016 promises exciting new Hyper-V features

  What updates and new features does the latest version of Windows Server bring to Hyper-V?  Continue Reading

• How should I address memory errors in a virtualized system?

  Many hypervisors have features that can prevent memory-related problems from escalating into devastating server crashes.  Continue Reading

• How do hypervisors handle second-level address translation?

  Technologies, such as SLAT, can help improve VM performance by handling address translation through the processor.  Continue Reading

• How does memory compression compare to page swapping?

  Memory compression can help improve performance by reducing the time needed for swap file access.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between memory sharing and overcommitment?

  Both memory management techniques can help improve consolidation, but before enabling either, administrators should understand the nuances to each approach.  Continue Reading

• How do I enable secure boot mode for Linux VMs?

  The upcoming release of Windows Server 2016 adds a secure boot option for Linux VMs.  Continue Reading

• Do application containers on the same host compete for resources?

  How do containers improve efficiency or consolidation, and do containers on the same host compete with each other for resources?  Continue Reading

• Which VMware esxtop metrics can indicate performance problems?

  Built-in performance tools offer VMware administrators several important metrics that can help diagnose performance problems, if they know where to look.  Continue Reading

• Is storage causing ESXi network performance problems?

  How do you determine whether storage is causing network performance issues on an ESXi server?  Continue Reading

• How do I enable and use PowerShell Direct?

  The Windows Server 2016 PowerShell Direct feature solves common management problems by eliminating the need for network connection or security policy modification when executing PowerShell commands.  Continue Reading

• How do I measure network latency in VMware ESXi?

  Network latency can kill application performance. Learn how to test for and identify bottlenecks in your VMware environment.  Continue Reading

• How can I enable jumbo frame support in ESXi?

  Jumbo frames can help reduce network latency under the right conditions, but it's important to ensure your entire network is set up to support it.  Continue Reading

• How do I manage an App-V deployment?

  In order to ensure successful App-V deployment and get the most out of application virtualization, users should study up on App-V’s server and client-side components.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to Microsoft App-V and UE-V

  Application virtualization improves centralized control of complex applications without endpoint installation and management hassles.  Continue Reading

• When should I use Microsoft App-V?

  What is App-V and when should I use application virtualization as opposed to other virtualization technologies like containers or virtual machines?  Continue Reading

• What's new with App-V 5.0 SP3?

  What are some of the hardware and software requirements for App-V deployment? What are some of the changes in App-V 5.0 SP3?  Continue Reading

• How does the host OS affect the ability to move containers?

  Containers allow administrators to easily move workloads across different platforms, but there are limitations.  Continue Reading

• How important is a container's host OS?

  How does a container's host OS relate to container resilience, scalability and vulnerability?  Continue Reading

• Can I improve the performance of a virtual database server?

  Virtualizing database servers is no longer taboo, but you can still experience performance problems if it's not correctly configured.  Continue Reading

• Can you improve the performance of VM management tools?

  What factors influence the performance of VM management tools, and how can I identify bottlenecks in management-level performance?  Continue Reading

• Will server performance testing and diagnostics slow down my VMs?

  Will diagnostics slow down my server's performance, and should I turn off performance data collection in production machines?  Continue Reading

• Are there any virtual server tuning strategies to prevent crashes?

  Are there configuration options that help stabilize server performance and allow it to degrade gracefully rather than crash outright?  Continue Reading

• How does SCVMM Dynamic Optimization work?

  Microsoft's Dynamic Optimization feature can help ensure your VMs are running efficiently, but do you know how the process works?  Continue Reading

• What are the limitations of software-defined technology?

  The benefits of a software-defined technology are more well-known than the drawbacks. Make sure you're familiar with the limitations before taking the next step.  Continue Reading

• Why do I even need software-defined technologies?

  Once you've figured out what software-defined technologies are, it's time to discover what they do and what benefits they can offer.  Continue Reading

• How can I prevent sprawl and VM lifecycle problems?

  Discovering which VMs are necessary and which are just taking up space can be difficult if you don't have a strategy in place.  Continue Reading

• Defining software-defined technologies

  Figuring out what technologies can be software-defined can be a challenge, especially when they venture into storage and networking.  Continue Reading

• How does VMware CBT affect VMs?

  How does VMware Changed Block Tracking affect virtual machines and data protection?  Continue Reading

• What criteria makes something a software-defined technology?

  The term software-defined is becoming more and more popular but what does it really mean? What makes something a software-defined technology?  Continue Reading

• Requirements of integrating a PXE server with SCVMM 2012 R2

  Integrating a PXE server with SCVMM helps perform bare-metal Hyper-V host deployments but there are requirements to do so.  Continue Reading

• What did Microsoft add to Hyper-V Replica in 2012 R2?

  Microsoft updated its Hyper-V Replica feature for Windows Server 2012 R2, but do you know how these changes can affect your RTO and recovery options?  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between SDS and storage virtualization?

  With more technologies available to abstract the storage layer, do you know the difference between storage virtualization and software-defined storage?  Continue Reading

• How does the Hyper-V parent partition architecture work?

  Microsoft's hypervisor relies on several modules and services to deploy and manage virtual machines. Do you know what they are and how they work?  Continue Reading

• How does a Hyper-V failover cluster work behind the scenes?

  A Hyper-V failover cluster can ensure high availability of VMs, but do you know the resources and functions that make it possible?  Continue Reading

• How can I avoid common virtualization mistakes?

  Great infrastructure design alone can't save you from falling victim to common virtualization pitfalls. You need to pair it with smart policies.  Continue Reading

• Do we need a unique VM lifecycle management plan for every workload?

  When managing virtual machines, each one should follow the same general settings but it's important to make sure the particulars are tailored to each individual workload.  Continue Reading

• How can automation help with VM creation and maintenance?

  Is developing an automation strategy to aid in VM deployment and patching worth the time investment?  Continue Reading

• Which VM lifecycle management tools should you use?

  VM lifecycle management is key in keeping things running smoothly and there are tools that can help you manage your workloads.  Continue Reading

• What exactly does VM lifecycle management involve?

  Managing virtual machines starts before you actually create one and is an ongoing process that requires administrators to continually monitor VMs.  Continue Reading

• Can virtualization automation software save me money?

  Automation software usually represents a significant investment, but can it actually help save some money?  Continue Reading

• Can virtualization software manage server power consumption?

  Tools like Microsoft's System Center can help admins manage virtual machines, but can they also improve server power consumption?  Continue Reading

• How can virtualization reduce power consumption?

  Virtualization offers many advantages, including workload portability and dynamic resource provisioning, but how do these translate into power savings?  Continue Reading