Hyper-V gotsas

Please the following article from Microsoft

How to configure pagefile in windows 2008 Server Core

From http://www.hyper-v.nu/blogs/jaapwess/?p=41 we read:
To configure the pagefile on a Hyper-V Server Core or Hyper-V Server you can use the following commands:

wmic computersystem set AutomaticManagedPagefile=False 
wmic pagefileset where name="c:\\pagefile.sys" set InitialSize=4000,MaximumSize=6000


It is possible to check the pagefile settings using the following command:

wmic pagefile get /format:list

Hyper-V backup can cause slow system boot / large registry files

There is a bug in Windows 2008 and Windows 2008 R2. The startup time increases every time after you back up the data on all the disks of the computer in Windows Server 2008 R2, if the computer runs some virtual machines. For more details and a hotfix look at this KB article from Microsoft
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/982210
Also take a look at these posts
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/
http://garysgambit.blogspot.com/2010/05/windows-2008-hyper-v-vss-backup-bug.html
http://virtuallyaware.spaces.live.com/

Hyper-V resources in Microsoft

Please take a look at the following link from Microsoft
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb802511.aspx

How to install and use PowerShell Management library for Hyper-V R2

Read the following posts:
http://trycatch.be/blogs/roggenk/archive/2010/02/08/powershell-management-library-for-hyper-v-r2.aspx
http://trycatch.be/blogs/roggenk/archive/2010/05/26/managing-windows-server-2008-r2-using-powershell.aspx
Examples:
# get default VHD path for server ariadne
Get-VHDDefaultPath -server ariadne
# get VM state for all VMs in server ariadne with a formated output
get-VMState -server ariadne | ft -property VMElementName,GuestOS,EnabledState,Name -auto
# Start a VM Session
New-VMConnectSession -vm strgsrv -server ariadne
# Start a VM
Start-VM -vm strgsrv -server ariadne
# Shutdown a VM
Invoke-VMShutdown -vm strgsrv -server ariadne -Force
# Shutdown all VMs in server ariadne
Invoke-VMShutdown (Select-VM -Server ariadne -Multiple) -Force
# Shutdown all VMs in server ariadne
Get-VM -Server ariadne -Running | Invoke-VMShutdown -Force
# List all stopped VMs in server ariadne
get-VM -Server ariadne -Stopped
# Start all VMs in server ariadne
get-VM -Server ariadne -Stopped | Start-VM
# Get a build script for VM strgsrv of server ariadne
Get-VMBuildScript -vm strgsrv -server ariadne

Hyper-V Survival Guide

This link is from Microsoft

Things to know when you are imaging Linux to other hardware

This is especially useful when you are going to convert a Linux server to a virtual machine. Read the following post: http://forums.opensuse.org/archives/sf-archives/archives-tips-tricks-tweaks/343785-good-things-know-when-imaging-linux-different-hardware.html

How to enable Windows Server Backup support for the Hyper-V VSS Writer

Read the following article: http://blogs.technet.com/askcore/archive/2008/08/20/how-to-enable-windows-server-backup-support-for-the-hyper-v-vss-writer.aspx

How to Unregister and Register Virtual Machines without Deleting Them

Read the following articles: http://blogs.msdn.com/robertvi/archive/2008/12/19/howto-manually-add-a-vm-configuration-to-hyper-v.aspx and http://msmvps.com/blogs/virtualreality/archive/2009/03/26/how-to-manipulate-hyper-v-vm-symbolic-links-or-how-to-unregister-and-register-virtual-machines-without-deleting-them.aspx

Increase VMBus buffer sizes to increase network throughput to guest VMs

Read the following article: http://blogs.technet.com/winserverperformance/archive/2010/02/02/increase-vmbus-buffer-sizes-to-increase-network-throughput-to-guest-vms.aspx

Hyper-V Technical Information and Resources

Visit this site http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/dd565807.aspx

Your credentials do not work in Hyper-V manager

When you try to connect to a Hyper-V server in Workgroup mode from a client that belongs in either a workgroup or a domain you receive the message:
Your system administrator does not allow the use of default credentials to log on to the remote computer (computer name) because its identity is not fully verified. Please enter new credentials.

The fix is to allow saved credentials with NTLM-only server authentication on the Hyper-V client machine. You can do this in the Local Group Policy Editor.

* Run gpedit.msc on the client machine (Windows Vista or Windows 7)
* Expand Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Credentials Delegation
* Double-click Allow Saved Credentials with NTLM-only Server Authentication
* Enable the policy
* Add servers to the list by clicking the Show button and adding your Hyper-V hostname like this: */YourServerName
* Add other servers to the list using the same method
* Click OK twice and close Local Group Policy Editor
* Now run GPUPDATE on the Hyper-V client machine to apply the new settings.
* Use cmdkey to save the credentials you use to connect to the remote server using this command: cmdkey /add:ServerName /user:UserName /pass:password

How to backup virtual machines using powershell

from http://prosjekt.mindre.net/post/Powershell-script-for-snapshot-and-exporting%28backup%29-Virtual-Machines.aspx download the CreateVmBackups.ps1 Powershell script. Set Powershell scripts execution policy to RemoteSigned and create a scheduled task for this script. To run a Powershell script in Task Scheduler enter Powershell as program and "& 'C:\Hyper-V\CreateVmSnapshots.ps1'" as argument.

Making HVConfig work on a normal Server Core installation

Read the following blog http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/sanderberkouwer/archive/2008/10/03/making-hvconfig-work-on-a-normal-server-core-installation.aspx

Using Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 SP1 with Hyper-V

Read this article
http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/microsoft-hyper-v-articles/backup-recovery/using-microsoft-system-center-data-protection-manager-2007-sp1-hyper-v.html

Using Windows Server Backup and the Diskshadow for Hyper-V backup

Read the article http://searchstorage.techtarget.com.au/articles/34981-Using-Windows-Server-Backup-and-the-Diskshadow-for-Hyper-V-backup and also this http://technet.microsoft.com/de-de/library/cc772172%28WS.10%29.aspx

Example: (from http://serverfault.com/questions/55789/command-line-backup-of-running-hyper-v-images-using-volume-shadow-copies-vss-an)

Below are sample scripts used to backup Hyper-V using VSS to create a snapshot. Guest operating systems that do not support VSS will be put into a saved state during the snapshot period.
This sample backs up images located on the E:\VS directory to a local directory at F:\VS Backups. These locations will need to be adjusted to fit your needs. For each source drive, an additional volume will need to be added to the VSS snapshot.
Documentation on the diskshadow.exe command is available on Technet.
Copy each of these three files into a directory and run HyperVBackup.cmd.

HyperVBackup.cmd:
-----------------
REM Use the diskshadow command to support "live" Hyper-V backup
REM though VSS
diskshadow /s diskshadow_script.txt > HyperVBackup_LOG.txt

REM Remove CAB files which are generated to support the exporting
REM of disk shadow copies (not required here)
del *.cab /Q

iskshadow_script.txt:
---------------------
# Remove any existing shadow copies from crashed or errored scripts
# WARNING: this will conflict with other backup software if running
# at the same time.
delete shadows all

# Use a persistent context so we can "map" a drive
set context persistent

# Log everything
set verbose on

# ***TODO*** Change this drive letter to match the location of your
# VHD files
add volume E: alias HyperV1

# Add additional volumes if needed
#add add volume H: alias HyperV2

# Create the shadow copy
create

# Expose each shadowed volume as a drive
# ***TODO*** Make sure the exposed drive letter is available and used
# in the backup script
expose %HyperV1% S:

# Expose additional volumes as needed
#expose %HyperV2% T:

# Execute the backup script (robocopy)
exec HyperVBAckup_exec.cmd

# clean up the shadow copy images
delete shadows all

HyperVBackup_exec.cmd:
----------------------
REM This is the script to perform the actual copy of the files

REM Use robocopy with the source set to the expose shadow drives
REM The drives are read-only, so don't try to reset the archive bit
REM **TODO** Set the destination location for the backups

robocopy S:\VS "F:\VS Backup" /MIR /NP /XF *.ISO /R:2 /W:5


REM Dummy command to clear the robocopy errorlevel

verify >nul

Install Linux IC in a Hyper-V VM

from http://itproctology.blogspot.com/2009/05/layers-to-linux-on-hyper-v.html we read

a) Obtain the LinuxIC.iso
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=ab7f4983-93c5-4a70-8c79-0642f0d59ec2#tm

b) obtain the inputvsc.iso for the mouse driver
http://www.xen.org/download/satori.html

c) add the kernel-source and gcc-c++ packages
YaST can be used for this, either GUI or command line
Note: if an ISO was previously attached, you may need to detach, pause, then attach the desired ISO for SuSE auto-mount to pick up the change.
If that does not work, make a mount point ( mkdir /media/CDROM ) and mount /dev/hdc /media/CDROM

d) Install the linuxic drivers
a. Open a Terminal
b. attach the downloaded LinuxIC.iso through the Hyper-V manager
c. Create a folder and copy the contents to the folder
d. mkdir /tmp/linuxic
e. cp –rp /media/CDROM/* /tmp/linuxic
f. cd /tmp/linuxic
g. ./setup.pl drivers

e) Install the mouse driver
a. Attach the inputvsc.iso through the Hyper-V manager
b. Create a folder and copy the contents.
c. mkdir /tmp/inputvsc
d. cp –rp /media/CDROM/* /tmp/inputvsc
Note: you may need to mount again: mount /dev/hdc /media/CDROM
e. cd /tmp/inputvsc
f. ./setup.pl

f) Power down the VM, remove the Legacy Network Adapter, add a Synthetic Network adapter, power on the VM (you could also do a shutdown now –hP)

g) Using YaST (or YaST2), configure the newly installed synthetic network adapter.

Unattended Server 2008 Installation

http://www.shudnow.net/2008/05/05/unattended-server-2008-base-image-creation-using-wsimsysprep/
http://blogs.msdn.com/mikekol/archive/2008/03/25/hyper-v-installation-tricks-part-2-unattended-installation-of-windows-and-hyper-v-rc0.aspx

Hyper-V Update List

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd430893.aspx