What’s that you say? A free Microsoft Server?
Well, yes. Except that you can’t do much with Hyper-V Server. Well, you can do lots really. But maybe I should stop talking in Microsoft doublespeak riddles now?
Hyper-V Server is the name of the core hypervisor engine that Microsoft has written for Windows Server 2008. Until now, it’s been available as an add-on to the Windows Server platform, for all versions from Server Core upwards, but it’s been part of the OS in terms of setup and management.
Now, Microsoft has taken the Hyper-V hypervisor code and wrapped it up into its own self-running, bootable engine, so you can install Hyper-V Server onto a box, then create multiple VMs into which you can pour your various OS flavours. If you want to download it.
Naturally, Microsoft is claiming that Hyper-V is the greatest thing since sliced bread – the press release says: “Del Monte Foods, a producer of food for consumers since 1916, expects that Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 can help the company achieve annual savings between $330,000 and $430,000 over the next several years.
Savings will be achieved through server consolidation in the datacenter, which will result in lower hardware maintenance fees and reduced power and cooling costs. A case study is available.
Hmmmm. Definitely one for printing out and reading in the bath, methinks.