Virtualization has been a hot item since it was introduced several years ago. The fact that it has been available commercially on many user desktops—such as being a native feature since Windows 8—only solidifies the real-life issues this technology resolves, from virtualizing entire servers to individual desktops and even single applications. Clearly, virtualization is here to stay.

1. Hyper-v Server Free Download
2. Hyper-v Server (free Stand-alone Version)
3. Is Hyper-v Server Free 2017

Since its introduction in Windows Server 2008, Microsoft's hypervisor, known as Hyper-V, has played catch-up with some of the more robust offerings from VMware and other competitors. But being included as part of the server and desktop OSes, along with a steady increase in features and usability, has made Hyper-V and its standalone offering, Hyper-V Server, a major player when it comes to virtualization in the enterprise and at home.

The latest iteration, Hyper-V Server 2016, is free for all to use and does not adhere to Microsoft licensing terms. Though its use does not guarantee you free use of Windows Server or client OS offerings, what is included is the hypervisor, which acts as the foundation for the virtualized environment in a stripped down manner. It includes all the necessary management tools to add and manage virtual machines (VM) to the server in one UI-less package with a small footprint and minimal requirements.

Before diving into the setup process, let's review the requirements to bear in mind when designing your server-to-host VMs.

Microsoft Hyper-V Server is an endeavor hypervisor that is given at no extra expense. Executives are presently appropriately provoked to change their passwords when at first marking in. Refreshed branding at setup. Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2019 likewise incorporates extra highlights, for example, Failover Clustering solidifying.

The Windows hypervisor technology in Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016 is the same as what's in the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2016. So, much of the content available for the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2016 also applies to Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016. Hyper-V Server resources for IT Pros. There are two different Hyper-V versions, the free Hyper-V Server and Windows Server Hyper-V role. Microsoft Hyper-V Server is a stand-alone light server that contains only the Windows Hypervisor; Windows Server with Hyper-V Role is a Windows Server Guest OS with Hyper-V Role enabled. Dec 04, 2012  Do you want to consolidate Servers? In cases where no new Windows Server licenses are required or where the servers being consolidated are running an alternative OS, you may want to consider using Microsoft Hyper-V Server for free! Hyper-V Server is a dedicated stand-alone product that contains the hypervisor, Windows Server driver model, virtualization capabilities.

SEE: What to expect from the Windows 10 Creators Update

General requirements

• 64-bit CPU with second-level address translation (SLAT)
• VM Monitor Mode extensions
• 4GB RAM
• Virtualization support-enabled BIOS or UEFI
• Data Execution Prevention (DEP) support-enabled BIOS or UEFI
• Network access (optional for VM use; required if VMs must communicate with the network/internet)
• Hyper-V Server 2016 ISO or bootable media

One word about these requirements: They are general for a reason. You should consider them the minimum requirements to get the hypervisor up and running. However, your environment's needs may require additional and/or specific requirements to be included when you prepare to deploy certain services. Also keep in mind the RAM usage in particular, as the 4GB suggested applies only to the hypervisor. Any VMs you wish to add will draw from the existing pool of hardware resources when they are powered on and in use, so the more resources available to all VMs the better the performance will be for both hypervisor and client VMs.

Installing Hyper-V Server 2016

Boot Hyper-V Server 2016 installation media from either a USB flash drive or DVD media, as needed to begin the installation process (Figure A).

Figure A

Once the wizard loads, select your desired language and keyboard settings, then click Next to proceed with the initial setup (Figure B)(Figure C).

Figure B

Figure C

Agree to the licensing terms by checking the checkbox and clicking Next (Figure D).

Figure D

When performing a fresh install on a server, selecting the Custom method will allow you to configure additional storage settings, partition drives, and format, if necessary. The upgrade method is intended for those wishing to upgrade only the version of Hyper-V Server already in use on that server, while leaving the existing settings and configuration as is. Select Custom to configure storage settings for your environment (Figure E)(Figure F)(Figure G).

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

The last phase copies the files to the server and installs the hypervisor locally. Depending on the specifications of the server and the chosen installation method, this method can take 10 to 30 minutes or longer to complete. Once finished, the server will reboot itself and load the hypervisor for the first time (Figure H)(Figure I)(Figure J).

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

Initial configuration of Hyper-V Server settings

After the initial reboot, Hyper-V Server will get the server ready by scanning the available hardware and load Windows drivers (Figure K).

Figure K

To keep resource utilization at a minimum to ensure that the lion's share of system resources are available to the hosted VMs, Hyper-V Server runs in a UI-less state, identical to Windows Server Core Mode. This loads only the services and features required by the OS to function out of the box and keeps unnecessary ones from view until an administrator executes a command to load any additional services, roles, and features that are required. With that said, upon first boot you'll be treated to a command-line interface (CLI) that prompts the user to change the default administrator password by default. Enter your new password and confirmation, then proceed to the configuration prompt (Figure L)(Figure M)(Figure N).

Figure L

Figure M

Figure N

Next, you will find two screens loaded: Server Configuration and a CLI behind it. The Server Configuration screen allows the administrator to make changes to the most common and necessary settings to ensure the server runs properly. Since it is scripted via the CLI, it is rudimentary yet easy to understand and follow. You make changes by entering the corresponding number next to the setting you wish to modify. You'll be prompted to enter the change to be made. Depending on the change, a reboot may be triggered, which you must either accept to reboot the server immediately or decline to make the change but postpone the reboot until later (Figure O).

Figure O

In the example below, choosing 14 and pressing Enter will cause the Server Configuration script to exit and load the standard CLI (Figure P).

Figure P

Note: To enter the Server Configuration screen, execute the following command from the CLI at any time:

To enable Hyper-V Server remote management—that is, configuring the server to allow itself to communicate with administrative workstations remotely—make sure that selection 4 and 7 are both enabled. Additional changes should be made in accordance with your organizations specific needs (Figure Q).

Figure Q

Rebooting the server will load the CLI in keeping with the secure nature of Core mode (Figure R).

Figure R

Hyper-V Server is simply a hypervisor and not an actual VM. It is typically deployed using automation and thus does not require much in the way of direct management as a typical Windows Server would. Because of this, management of Hyper-V Server is relegated to scripting, PowerShell, and/or manual changes made via the Server Configuration. However, VMs running on Hyper-V Server can be managed remotely using the Server Manager app found in Windows 8 or later and Windows Server 2012 or later. More on this in a future article.

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Your take

What obstacles have you encountered while getting started with Hyper-V Server 2016? Share your experiences and advice with fellow TechRepublic members.

Also read..

• System requirements for Hyper-V on Windows Server 2016 (Microsoft)
• Set up your first Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Host (TechRepublic)
• Three mistakes I made creating a Hyper-V virtual machine (TechRepublic)
• Windows Server 2016: The smart person's guide (TechRepublic)

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Since the hypervisor innovations in Server 2019 were relatively few, the free Hyper-V Server core functions have seen hardly any improvements. One of them are shielded virtual machines (VMs) for Linux. In addition, updating to VM configuration version 9.0 achieves some improvements, including hibernation support.

Not the latest VM configuration version ^

However, Microsoft did not use the long break between releasing Windows Server 2019 and Hyper-V Server 2019 to update the latter's virtual hardware support. This command displays 9.0 as the maximum version:

Hyper V Server supports a maximum VM configuration version of 9.0

The recently released Server 1903 in the semi-annual channel and the Windows 10 May update already support VM configuration 9.1. Therefore, this command results in an error on Hyper-V Server 2019:

Hyper-v Server Free Download

However, the minor update to VM version 9.1 does not include any new features. In addition, the risk of compatibility problems is low because virtual hardware 9.0 is still the default for the two latest OS versions.

General improvements to Windows Server ^

As with version 2016, which had significantly more new features, Hyper-V Server 2019 also benefits from several general improvements in Windows Server. These include, for example, Microsoft now also supporting data deduplication with Resilient File System (ReFS).

In addition, there are some improvements in the cluster feature, such as cross-domain cluster migration. This allows moving server clusters between domains in Active Directory (AD). Another new feature is the option to use a file share witness on a machine that is not an AD member.

MMC-based admin tools in the console ^

Essentially, Hyper-V Server is Server Core reduced to the role of Hyper-V. Thus, it benefits from an innovation Microsoft introduced specifically for this installation option.

This new feature on demand (FOD) is Core App Compatibility, which allows executing additional GUI applications. Basically, Hyper-V Server also supports graphical programs without this FOD, but their number is very limited. These include some applets from the Control Panel, Task Manager, or Notepad.

Thanks to Core App Compatibility, you can execute various MMC snap ins in the console

Core App Compatibility significantly increases the number of graphical management tools admins can run in the console. This applies in particular to mmc.exe with a number of snap-ins, including those for Event Viewer, Disk Management, or Failover Cluster Management.

No Hyper-V Manager ^

However, Hyper-V Manager is missing, although it would be most needed on a virtualization host. A look into the %windir%system32 directory shows that the required file virtmgmt.msc has not been installed.

You can use the Server Manager to add Hyper V tools, but Hyper V Manager is not available with it

By adding roles and features, you can install the hypervisor management tools with Server Manager, but these are limited to the PowerShell module.

Remote management with Admin Center ^

Thanks to Core App Compatibility, the management options for Hyper-V 2019 have been extended by adding local tools to the console. They complement remote management using Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) or PowerShell.

But that's not all. Windows Admin Center (WAC) is now also available, which did not exist when Hyper-V Manager 2016 appeared (nevertheless, it is now also manageable via WAC).

The browser-based tools offer all the essential functions for configuring the host, virtual switches, and VMs. They are particularly suitable for simple tasks such as changing VM power states because you can perform them from any computer without having to install any software. Other activities such as creating VMs are relatively cumbersome with the web tools.

Windows Admin Center 1906 allows importing, exporting, and tagging VMs

In Preview 1906, WAC received additional Hyper-V management functions also available for Hyper-V Server 2019. These include VM importing and exporting, both of which are limited to local drives on the host.

Another new feature is the ability to tag VMs. Don't confuse this feature with the VM notes assignable in Hyper-V Manager.

Availability and installation ^

As usual, Microsoft provides Hyper-V Server 2019 as an .iso file for free download in the Evaluation Center. Due to the license conditions for Windows Server, the free Hyper-V Server's primary application is to provision virtual desktops or Linux in the VMs.

If you want to operate Windows Server in VMs, you must acquire the required virtualization rights via the Standard or Datacenter Edition, which also allow the bare-metal installation of the full operating system including the hypervisor.

While Microsoft supports an in-place upgrade from Server 2012 R2 or 2016 to 2019, this does not apply to Hyper-V servers.

Microsoft supports n + 2 in place upgrades for Windows Server

Nevertheless, a direct upgrade has been popular in the past, especially in lab environments, because it saves some work. If you start the setup of version 2019 in Hyper-V 2016, you can run through all dialogs and get no indication of possible problems.

Hyper-v Server (free Stand-alone Version)

The setup of Hyper V Server 2019 will offer you an in place upgrade that, however, will fail

At the very end, the installation fails with this message:

0x80070490 - 0x2000e 'The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during SET_PRODUCT_KEY operation.'

This does not seem to be strictly an upgrade problem but a bug of the sloppily adopted Windows setup for Hyper-V servers.

Is Hyper-v Server Free 2017

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