Microsoft has provided us with a copy of Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition and along with that, Virtual Server 2005 which we have heard it was worth looking at.

Having installed the W2K3 in under 1 hour, we were initially surprised at the ease of installation process, and then after applying the patches, we tried installing the Virtual Server 2005.

First Hickup: IIS Must Be Running
Did I miss something here as there is no mention of the need of IIS in the box.
So back to Add-Remove Program, install IIS with WINS and DNS (both are essential for smooth running,any admin will tell you to install 3 in a go.) and a few 100’s MB of precious HDD Space is taken up, not to mention the Memory Resources (RAM) it will soon gobble up.

But we explored further.Not to give up at the first sight of problem.

Guess what?
First you need to make a Virtual Hard Drive (VHD)
Default: 16 GB! That is alot of space!
We were foolish to trust that initial ‘good for you’ settings.
Then Create a Virtual Machine
Default Settings: 128MB RAM is so far …we say OK to that.

Then you need to install the Virtual Manager or something like that so if you want the system to boot off a ISO Image, you do that from those settings.

We installed Windows XP Pro SP2 o­n that, and seems to be ok. Sluggish.But no apparent problems.
However, we did notice that XP detected that the network adapter was not connected to the network.
What gives? No NET?

Other than that.. it is a nice Virtual way to try products etc without having to worry if it is gonna work etc. o­ne problem, wipe it clean.

Knoppix:
Installed the VM and loaded the ISO image o­n the CD-Drive
Loaded OK at the Keel.
KDE don’t seem to love it so much.
Even the API calls were SLOW. load the shell, every keystroke involves multiple clicks etc.
Sluggish and I have yet to wonder why.
1GB VHD and 128MB ram loaded o­n f:\ (not o­n the primary OS loaded HDD even.)

If you want an image, I will load it up o­n my download directory within the week.

Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 is a virtualization solution for consolidating multiple workloads o­nto a physical server, allowing organizations to make more efficient use and simplify management of their hardware resources. Built o­n Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 and bolstered with new functionality, Virtual Server 2005 R2 enables IT organizations to enhance their administrative productivity and rapidly respond to changing business needs. Virtual Server 2005 R2 is easily administered with standard server management tools. Virtual Server 2005 R2 is an extensively tested and well-supported virtualization solution that is supported both by the broader independent software vendor (ISV) community and by Microsoft in conjunction with its server operating systems and applications.
Virtual Server 2005 R2 increases hardware efficiency and IT productivity
Virtual Server 2005 R2 is an ideal way to consolidate multiple workloads o­nto a physical server. It enables automated deployment and configuration of connected virtual machines that are administered with standard server management tools. As part of the Windows Server System, Virtual Server is extensively engineered and tested with Microsoft’s server operating systems and applications.
Efficient use of hardware resources in a highly available virtualized environment
Virtual Server 2005 R2 provides server virtualization o­n a fully tested and qualified Microsoft solution. Broad x86 guest operating system compatibility extends to most major x86 operating systems in the virtual machine guest environment. Virtual Server runs natively within a 64-bit Windows® host operating system, provides enhanced CPU and I/O performance through Virtual Machine Additions , balances workload management through policy-based control, supports both weighting and constraint methods for CPU resource allocation, and memory resizing at VM boot time. Flexible clustering scenarios provide high availability for critical environments while improving patching and hardware maintenance processes.
Enhanced IT productivity and responsiveness
Virtual Server offers complete scripted control of portable, connected virtual machines for automated configuration and deployment. Virtual Server encapsulates virtual machines in portable virtual hard disks that enable flexible configuration, versioning, and deployment, and virtual networking enables flexible networking with guest-to-guest, guest-to-host and guest-to-network connectivity. The Windows Server™ 2003 host operating system takes advantage of Windows administrative experience when managing Virtual Server environments: Active Directory® integration enables delegated administration and authenticated guest access; the Web console enables authenticated administration and client remote access; Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 Management Pack for Virtual Server provides extensible guest-host mapping for event and performance management; and Microsoft Systems Management (SMS) Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) reports virtual-to-physical machine relationships for inventory purposes. Automated Deployment Services and the Virtual Server Migration Toolkit (VSMT) provide command-line tools for converting from physical to virtual or virtual to virtual, easing migration to a virtual machine environment. The comprehensive Virtual Server COM API enables scripted control of virtual machine environments, and the integrated PXE boot functionality allows virtual machine provisioning identical to the provisioning of physical servers.
Cost-effective and reliable solution from a trusted platform vendor Virtual Server features comprehensive support in conjunction with Microsoft Windows Server operating systems and Microsoft server applications. Virtual machines use the Windows host operating system’s qualified device drivers, ensuring robust and stable device support and broad device compatibility. Microsoft extensively tests Virtual Server in conjunction with Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 Server. The Windows Server System Common Engineering Criteria 2005 requires that all server products support Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 and that each product must be capable of running from within a virtual instance. Virtual Server also has extensive ecosystem support: ISVs and customers are able to integrate with Virtual Server for enhanced functionality and manageability. Comprehensive COM management interfaces are published and used by management tool vendors, and Microsoft’s Virtual Hard DIsk (VHD) file format is available under royalty-free license, allowing ISVs to natively interoperate with Virtual Server.
To try Virtual Server 2005 R2 software or for more information, see the following:
http://www.microsoft.com/virtualserver
Virtual Server 2005 R2 Key Features and Benefits

Efficient Use of Hardware Resources
64-bit Host Support   Virtual Server 2005 R2 runs natively within an x64 Windows host operating system, providing customers with increased performance plus more memory headroom for greater scalability.
·1   The additional memory space of x64 operating systems allows more guest machines to be run o­n o­ne host server.
·2   Virtual Server 2005 R2 running o­n x64 systems does not have a memory aperture limit.
Virtual Server 2005 R2 is supported by the following 64-bit host operating systems:
·3   Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition
·4   Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition
·5   Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (for non-production use)
Virtual Server Host Clustering   Increase server availability cost-effectively through virtual machine clustering between physical machines. Or use Virtual Server host clustering, which supports SAN, iSCSI, or direct attached storage. Benefits of Virtual Server host clustering include:
·6   Planned downtime. Patch host operating system or service host hardware with minimal downtime. Virtual machine can be moved from o­ne node to another with downtime dependent o­n storage infrastructure.
·7   Unplanned downtime. Fail over to another cluster node in event of hardware failure o­n host.
·8   Guest operating system agnostic. Move or fail over any virtual machine running any operating system to another cluster node.
·9   Cost-effective. Get clustering functionality that is native to Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition and requires no specialized software. Virtual Server host clustering will be available as a free download at the same time as Virtual Server 2005 R2.
Technical details o­n host clustering can be found in the Virtual Server host clustering white paper o­n the Virtual Server 2005 R2 Web site
CPU Resource Allocation   Adjust weighting and constraint methods for fine-grained control.
Memory Resource Allocation   Resize memory at virtual machine boot time.
Broad x86 Guest OS Compatibility   Run most major x86 operating systems in the virtual machine guest environment.
Enhanced Administrative Productivity and Responsiveness
Deploy   ·10   Scripting. Provides scripted control of portable, connected virtual machines for automated configuration and deployment.
·11   VHDs. Encapsulates virtual machines in portable Virtual Hard Disks (VHDs), enabling flexible configuration, versioning, and deployment.
·12   Virtual networking. Enables flexible networking with guest-to-guest, guest-to-host, and guest-to-net connectivity.
·13   Comprehensive COM API. Enables complete scripted control of virtual machine environments.
·14   PXE boot. Enables provisioning of virtual machines in the same way as physical servers.
Manage and Migrate   ·15   Virtual Server Administrative Web console. Enables authenticated administration and client remote access.
·16   Windows Server 2003 host operating system. Lets you use your Windows administrative experience when managing Virtual Server 2005 R2 environments.
·17   Active Directory integration. Provides delegated administration and authenticated guest access.
·18   MOM 2005 Management Pack for Virtual Server. Provides extensible guest-host mapping for event and performance management.
·19   SMS 2003 SP1. Reports virtual-to-physical machine relationships for inventory purposes.
·20   Automated Deployment Services and VSMT. Provides command-line tools for converting from physical to virtual or virtual to virtual, easing migration to a virtual machine environment.
Reliable Solution from a Trusted Platform Vendor
Support   Comprehensive testing and support for Virtual Server in conjunction with Windows Server operating systems and Microsoft server applications.
·21   Windows–qualified drivers. Virtual Server uses the Windows host operating system’s qualified device drivers, ensuring robust and stable device support and broad device compatibility
·22   Operating system support. Microsoft extensively tests Virtual Server in conjunction with Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 Server.
·23   Windows Server System family support. The Common Engineering Criteria 2005 states, “To help customers improve the utilization of hardware resources, all server products will support Virtual Server 2005. Each product must be capable of running from within a virtual instance.”
Ecosystem Support   ISVs and customers are able to integrate with Virtual Server for enhanced functionality and manageability.
·24   COM management interfaces. Comprehensive COM management interfaces are published and used by management tool vendors.
·25   VHD format. Microsoft’s VHD file format is available under a royalty-free license, allowing ISVs such as security and management vendors to natively interoperate with Virtual Server.
Virtual Server 2005 R2 System Requirements

Minimum CPU Speed   550 MHz
Number of Processors   Virtual Server 2005 R2 Standard Edition: Supports 1 to 4 physical processors
Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise Edition: Supports up to 32 physical processors
Recommended CPU Speed   1.0 GHz or higher recommended.
Processor Information   Intel Celeron, Pentium III, Pentium 4, Xeon or AMD Opteron, Athlon, Athlon 64, Athlon X2, Sempron, or Duron processor required
Supported Host Operating Systems   Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Datacenter Edition or later versions
Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition, Enterprise Edition x64 Edition or later versions
Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 or later versions (for non-production use o­nly)
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (for non-production use o­nly)
Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition or Premium Edition or later versions
Minimum RAMÂ Â Â 256 MB (additional memory needed for each guest operating system)
Required Available Hard-disk Space   2 GB (additional disk space needed for each guest operating system)
Recommended Monitor   Super VGA (800×600) or higher resolution monitor recommended; VGA or hardware that supports console redirection required
Keyboard   Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device, or hardware that supports console redirection required