The following list summarizes the new and updated cmdlets and parameters in VMM 2008 R2.

Cmdlets

Parameters

It seems that Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) will not receive any major update before 2011

After you have installed Windows Server 2008, you must apply the Hyper-V update packages for Windows Server 2008 (KB950050).

You should also apply any other required updates before you install the Hyper-V role.

To view the list of software updates and check if any are missing, at the command prompt, type:

wmic qfe list

If you do not see “kbid=950050”, download the Hyper-V updates and then type the following command at a command prompt:

wusa.exe Windows6.0-KB950050-x64.msu /quiet

There are three update packages. After you install the updates, you must restart the server. The Update for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB 950050) and Language Pack for Hyper-V (KB951636) must be installed on the parent partition of the Server Core installation.

The Update for Windows Server 2008 (KB952627) is for remote management of the Server Core installation if you are managing the server from a computer running Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), and must be installed on the computer running Windows Vista SP1.

Remember : Before you enable the Hyper-V role, ensure that you have enabled the required hardware-assisted virtualization and hardware-enforced Data Execution Prevention (DEP) BIOS settings. Checks for these settings are performed before you enable the Hyper-V role on a full installation, but not on a Server Core installation.

Since the MAC address pool is created when the Hyper-V role is installed, attempting to install the role and image the physical machine will cause each Hyper-V server deployed using the image to have the same MAC address pool. Even if you sysprep the machine before you image it, the registry values are not reset.

There are a some steps to avoid this situation:

• Do not install the Hyper-V role before you sysprep the machine, but have it install as part of the post mini-setup process.
• Before you sysprep the machine, delete the following two key values under HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionVirtualization
• MinimumMacAddress
• MaximumMacAddress

Using the first option will force unique values for the MAC address pool when you install the Hyper-V. The second option will force the keys to be recreated when the VMMS service starts during boot.

Using SCVMM 2008 to deal with MAC issue

System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 uses a different approach when managing virtual machines and MAC addresses by using static MAC addresses from a defined pool. This pool is used across all hosts that it manages regardless of host type (Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1, Hyper-V, or VMware). By default the pool is in the range of 00-1D-D8-B7-1C-00 to 00-1D-D8-F4-1F-FF for 3,998,719 available MAC addresses. You can define your own range if you like, but you must follow these rules:

1. The first three octets must be the same for the Minimum and Maximum addresses.

2. You cannot use octets that are already in use by Microsoft or VMware.

Steps to modify the default range in the SCVMM 2008:

1. Go to the SCVMM Administration console.
2. Click on the Administration View button.
3. Click Networking.
4. Click Global Static MAC address Range.
5. In the actions pane, click Modify.
6. Change the range values.
7. Click OK.

Now all virtual machines deployed using the System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 administration console or using SCVMM PowerShell cmdlets will get a static MAC address from the global pool.