Virtual Server 2005 R2 Seminar

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Virtual Server 2005 R2Seminar

• Ronald BeekelaarBeekelaar Consultancyronald_at_bee
  kelaar.comBarneveld, 14-Dec-2005

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About this session

• Objectives
• Understand architecture of Virtual Server 2005
• Understand how Virtual Server works
• Explain key scenarios for Virtual Server
• Future functionality
• Viridian / Hypervisor

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About the presenter

• Consultant and trainer
• Security, ISA Server and Virtualization
• Virtualization background
• Microsoft MVP for Virtual Machine Technology
• Manage all Virtual PC/Virtual Server labs
  atTechEd Europe and IT Forum Europe
• Create and optimize many VMs
• Contact
• Beekelaar Consultancyronald_at_beekelaar.com

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Session hours

• 09.00 10.30 Presentation
• 10.30 10.40 break
• 10.40 12.00 Presentation
• 12.00 12.45 lunch

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Microsoft strategyVision of virtualization

• IT organization benefit when workloads are
  decoupled from hardware
• Increased availability, manageability
• Long term, workloads will be increasingly dynamic
• Virtualization is a key enabling technology to
  achieve this

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Licensing

• Licensing changes for server products
• After 1-Dec-2005
• Virtualization friendly
• ? Single Win2003 R2 EE license 1 host 4x in
  guest
• ? Only count licenses for running VMs
• ? For per-processor licenses, only count virtual
  CPUs in VM
• See - www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/volbri
  ef.mspx
• EULA for Virtual Server
• In license.rtf

4. ... You may not work around any technical
limitation in the software use the software
for commercial software hosting services.
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SupportBy Microsoft PSS

• Vision in WSS Common Engineering Criteria
• See - www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/cer
• Limitations

... all server products will support Microsoft
Virtual Server 2005. Each product must be capable
of running from within a virtual
instance.Exemptions will be granted if The
product requires hardware that is not currently
supported in the VM environment. Core product
scenarios fail because of virtualization
performance or scaling issues.
Exchange Server 2003 - Only on Virtual Server
2005 R2 or later (KB 320220) Certificate Server
- Only with Win2003 SP1 or later guest and host
(KB 897614) KB 897613 - Microsoft supports
Windows Server System software running within a
Microsoft Virtual Server environment subject to
the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy ... KB
897614 - The following Windows Server System
software is not supported within a Microsoft
Virtual Server environment Speech Server, ISA
Server, Sharepoint Portal Server. KB 897615 -
For Microsoft customers who do not have a
Premier-level support agreement, Microsoft will
require the issue to be reproduced independently
from the non-Microsoft hardware virtualization
software.
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Product versions
Currently at end of support lifecycle See
http//vpc.visualwin.com for a list of 1000 (!)
OS that run in Virtual PC / Virtual Server
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Pricing
Half price ( 99) when buying Win2003 R2
Enterprise Edition as well (until 30-Jun-2006)
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Specifications

• Host
• CPU
• VS2005 Standard Edition max 4 CPUs (1 or 2
  cores)
• VS2005 Enterprise Edition max 32 CPUs (1 or 2
  cores)
• Memory max 64 GB
• Guest
• CPU max 1
• Memory max 3.6 GB
• Network adapters max 4 - unlimited bandwidth !
• USB no

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Differences VS2005 - VPC2004

• Virtual Server 2005
• Use multiple host CPUs
• Multithreaded
• Multiple CD ROMs drives
• NAT through host ICS
• Unlimited networks
• Only in VS2005
• SCSI disk (in VM)
• COM API
• Remote Management
• Run as service
• Auto start VMs

• Virtual PC 2004
• Use single host CPU
• Single thread for all VMs
• Single CD ROM drive
• NAT support
• Network per host (loopback) adapter
• Only in VPC2004
• Sound card (VM)
• Folder Sharing
• Drag-and-drop
• Copy / Paste

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New in Virtual Server 2005 R2

• Performance
• Increased performance
• Scalability
• x64 hosts Win2003 and WinXP
• Availability
• Virtual Machine clustering
• Failover VM on same host
• Requires iSCSI in guest
• Virtual Server Host clustering
• Move VS2005 to other host
• Planned and unplanned downtime
• Requires script - http//go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?
  LinkId55644

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New in Virtual Server 2005 R2

• Additional guest support
• Win2003 SE SP1
• WinXP SP2
• PXE Booting
• F6 disk (SCSI disk)
• Speeds up Windows installation
• Virtual Disk Precompactor.iso
• Supports hyperthreading on host
• Reserve space for save state file (.vsv)
• Open Windows Firewall ports at install

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ArchitectureVirtual Machine Monitor (VMM)

• CPU needs to switch between host process and
  guest process
• VMM switches context between those processes
• Computer runs either host context or VMM context
• Only one operating system can "run" on CPU
• Ring compression

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Architecture
Host
Guest (VM)
AdminWeb Site
Virtual ServerService
IIS
Guest Applications
Ring 3
Ring 3
Ring 1
VM Additions
Windows in VM
Virtual hardware
Ring 0
Win2003 or WinXP
Kernel
VMM.sys
Hardware
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CPU virtualizationExecution modes

• Two methods to virtualize CPU for guest OS
• Binary translation
• Translate guest instruction code to host
  instruction code
• Always possible, but slow
• Direct-mode execution
• Guest OS runs in user-mode directly on CPU - fast
  !
• When a priviliged operation is required, a trap
  occurs,and VMM handles operation in kernel mode
• However, x86 is not fully virtualized in this way
• Some kernel-mode read operations are allowed in
  ring 3 !
• Conclusion
• Most guest OS code can run direct-mode execution
  (fast),but some parts require binary translation
  (slow)

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CPU virtualizationRole of VM Additions

• Issue
• VMM must decide what guest OS code can run
• By using direct-mode execution (fast) - preferred
• By using binary translation (slow)
• Rules
• Guest OS user-mode (ring 3)
• Always use direct-mode execution
• Guest OS kernel-mode (ring 0)
• Use only binary translation
• Unless OS-specific VM Additions, running in
  guest, indicates what kernel-mode code is safe
  fordirect-mode execution

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VM AdditionsVersions
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Usage Scenarios

• ? Production server consolidation
• Consolidate low-utilization workloads
• Legacy OS (NT4) and application re-hosting
• Resource partitioning (limit resources per VM)
• ? Business continuity management
• Workload deployment and provisioning
• OS and application patching (swap VMs)
• Isolation / sandboxing
• ? Dynamic data center
• Workload mobility
• ? Development and test
• Rapid provisioning of multiple virtual machines
• Undo-disk and save state helpful

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Usage ScenarioProduction server consolidation

• Consolidate workloads
• Infrastructure applications
• Branch office and datacenter workloads
• Low-utilization workloads
• Efficient use of available hardware resources
• Re-host legacy OS and applications
• NT4 guest applications on Win2003 host
• Run on current hardware and current OS
• No application updates required
• Partition resources
• Limit CPU resource per VM

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Usage ScenarioBusiness continuity management

• Workload deployment
• Quickly switch pre-configured VM (vhd-files)
• For distaster recovery
• Eliminate unscheduled downtime
• OS and application patching
• Deploy and test patches off-production, and swap
• Eliminate scheduled downtime
• Isolation / sandboxing
• Isolate OS environments for untrusted
  applications
• Prevent malicious code from affecting others

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Usage ScenarioDynamic datacenter

• Workload mobility
• Package up entire OS environment and move to
  other location
• Flexible deployment of workloads

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Usage ScenarioDevelopment and test

• Rapid provisioning of virtual machines
• Provide multiple VMs for testing quickly
• Use save state to start up quickly
• Create arbitrary test scenarios
• Recreate reported issues
• Avoid use of production network
• Use undo-disk to rollback to known state
• Wider test range for niche scenarios
• Provision multiple VMs with variations
• Use difference-disks for easy provisioning

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Usage ScenarioOther server consolidation
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Configuration

• Memory
• As much as physical machine 25 MB overhead
• CPU
• VS has resource control
• Weighted / Maximum / Reserve

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Best practices

• Use enough memory per VM
• To avoid paging inside VM
• On host, use multiple network adapters
• Unbind Virtual Machine Network Servicefrom
  dedicated host adapter
• On host, use NTFS
• On host, use multiple disks
• On host, use SCSI disks
• Stop VS when shutting downhost computer
• Use script for UPS

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Best practices

• Install VM Additions in all VMs
• Disable VM time synchronizationwhen VMs are in a
  domain
• Does not use time zones !
• When copying VMs
• Run Sysprep, or Newsid (sysinternal.com)
• Do not include save state (.vsv) file
• When using undo-disk
• Allow enough disk space for Undo-disk
• When using differencing-disk
• Make parent disk read-only

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DisksVHD Format

• Free license from Microsoft
• www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserve
  r/techinfo/vhdspec.mspx

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Backup of VM

• Three methods
• ? - Inside VM, run backup application
• Treat VM as a normal physical machine
• ? - Stop VM (save state)- On host, backup
  vhd/vsv files- Start up VM
• Only short VM downtime
• ? Not supported for DCs in VM !
• ? - On host, run backup application- Copy 'open'
  vhd files (using VSS or otherwise)
• The vhd file is not in consistent state
• Do NOT use this method

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Tools

• Virtual Server Migration Toolkit (VSMT)
• P2V - physical to virtual
• Supports NT4, Win2000, Win2003
• Requires ADS - Automated Deployment Services
• Free download http//go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Lin
  kId37030
• MOM 2005 Management Pack
• Manage and monitor multiple Virtual Servers
• Free download http//www.microsoft.com/downloads/
  details.aspx?FamilyIdB8BBF08F-134A-46CE-9D63-FB7
  EF5258059

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FutureVirtual Server 2005 R2 SP1

• Support for Intel VT and AMD Pacifica
• If no VT/Pacifica hardware, then no benefits
• Windows guests do not run faster
• Windows installation is 2x-3x faster
• Non-Windows guests (Linux, Netware) run faster
• Available Sep 2006

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FutureVMM arrangements
Type-2 VMM
Type-1 VMM Hypervisor
Hybrid VMM
Guest 1
Guest 2
Guest 1
Guest 2
Guest 1
Guest 2
VMM
Host OS
VMM
VMM (Hypervisor)
Host OS
Hardware
Hardware
Hardware

• Examples
• - JVM
• - .NET CLR

• Examples
• - Virtual PC
• - Virtual Server

Example - Windows Virtualization ("Viridian")
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Windows VirtualizationCode name "Viridian"

• Virtualization for Windows Server
• Windows Hypervisor
• Thin layer of software, underneath "host OS"
• Parent partition - manages child partitions
• Child partition - any number of OS, managed by
  parent
• Virtualization Stack
• Runs in parent partition
• Provides virtualization of devices
• WMI interface for management
• Virtualization Service Providers (VSPs)
• Hardware sharing architecture

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Architecture
Host
Guest (VM)
AdminWeb Site
Virtual ServerService
IIS
Guest Applications
Ring 3
Ring 3
Ring 1
VM Additions
Windows in VM
Virtual hardware
Ring 0
Win2003 or WinXP
Kernel
VMM.sys
Hardware
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Windows Virtualization
Parent partition
Child partition
Virtualization Stack
WMI
VM Service
VM Worker
Guest Applications
Ring 3
Windows
Windows
VSPs
VSCs
Kernel
Kernel
VMBus
Enlightments
Ring 0
Windows Hypervisor
Ring "-1"
Hardware
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Reference information

• Weblogs
• "Virtual PC Guy" (Ben Armstrong)
• http//blogs.msdn.com/Virtual_PC_Guy/
• "The soul of a Virtual Machine" (Megan Davis)
• http//blogs.technet.com/megand
• Scripts
• TechNet
• www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/vs/
  default.mspx

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More information

• Virtualization Licensing Brief
• www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/volbrief.msp
  x
• Using iSCSI with Virtual PC
• http//go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId55646
• Virtual Server Host Clustering script
• http//go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId55644
• VSMT
• http//go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId37030