Reviewing the Basics of the Hyper-V Administrative Interface

Microsoft Hyper-V offers a variety of useful capabilities when virtualizing servers and associated applications in a data center environment.  If you are seeing the Hyper-V Administrative interface for the first time its important to keep in mind the more time spent using the interface the less challenging the various settings become (like many things in our lives!).  Let's take a look at the Hyper-V MMC (Microsoft Management Console) without focusing on Windows 2008 Server installation, Hyper-V installation, Network Interface Card (NIC) configuration, or any of the other steps required to adminstrate a server using Hyper-V.  We'll simply dig into Hyper-V, then in other Blog entries follow steps for setup, configuration, etc. of Hyper-V.  If you have ever wondered what the Hyper-V GUI entails here is your entry!

The following screen captures are divided into sections based on the interface. 

1. Hyper-V Settings
2. Virtual Network Manager Settings
3. Individual Guest Server Settings 

Hyper-V Settings

Hyper-V Manager Settings

 The essentials are available from the 'New' Task option.  Here we can create Virtual Machines, Virtual Hard Disks and Virtual Floppies.

The fundementals of Hyper-V file placement is configured from the 'Hyper-V Settings' Task in the Hyper-V MMC.  In this example local drives are available.  Network and SAN Drives (Volumes) are equally viable.

1.  Hyper-V Settings

2.  Hyper-V Settings

3.  Hyper-V Settings

4.  Hyper-V Settings

5.  Hyper-V Settings

6.  Hyper-V Settings

7.  Hyper-V Settings

 Virtual Network Manager Settings

1.  Virtual Network Manager Settings

2.  Virtual Network Manager Settings

3.  Virtual Network Manager Settings

4.  Virtual Network Manager Settings

5.  Virtual Network Manager Settings

Individual Guest Server Settings 

1.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

2.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

3. Individual Guest Server Settings 

4.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

5.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

6.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

7.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

8.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

9.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

10.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

11.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

12.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

13.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

14.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

15.  Individual Guest Server Settings 

The purpose of this Blog entry is to introduce the numerouse configuration tasks and options for Hyper-V.  Subsequent Blog entries will then reference these settings relative to each respective configuration goal.  Take some time to study these as each of them offer the ability to setup Virtualized Guest Servers hosting various applications. 

Lynn Lunik
Independent Security Consultant
Windows(R) Platform
IT Pro Secure Corporation
blog <at> itprosecure.com