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Archive for the ‘Windows 2012’ Category

Looking for MS Recommended hotfixes and updates for Server 2012 Failover Clusters?

July 13, 2013 1 comment

Microsoft published an article that documents the hotfixes that are currently available for Windows Server 2012-based Failover Clusters.

Failover Clustering allows multiple servers to provide high availability of server roles. Failover Clustering is often used for File Services, Virtual Machines, Database Applications, and Mail Applications.

 

The recommended hotfixes and updates for Windows Server 2012-based Failover Clusters : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2784261

Update to improve cloud service provider resiliency in Windows Server 2012

July 13, 2013 2 comments

Microsoft released an update to improve the cloud service provider in Windows 2012

Note : The KB2870270 roll-up hotfix replaces KB2848344.  This hotfix contains the fix for Trim as well as ODX.  It is no longer necessary to disable Trim or ODX with this fix applied

The following issues are also resolved with this update:

– An Windows 2012 Hyper-V Cluster that uses CSV is moved or is toggled between directed access and redirected access when the performance monitor is running. In this situation, the performance counters no longer function.

– An Windows 2012 Hyper-V Cluster and the Virtual Machines VHD files are stored on a scale-out file share and the server is under a heavy load. In this scenario, the server may crash, and you may receive a Stop error message that resembles: STOP: 0x000000C2 (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4) – Notes: The parameters in the Stop error message vary, depending on the configuration of the computer and not all “Stop 0x000000C2” errors are caused by this issue.

– When you use the Windows thin provisioning feature on a Windows Server 2012-based computer, you experience the same I/O delays or I/O stalls that occur during the volume-unmounting process in NTF volumes.

Plus the issues that are described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles are resolved:

2796995      (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2796995/ ) Offloaded Data Transfers fail on a computer that is running Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012
2799728      (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2799728/ ) Virtual machine enters a paused state or a CSV volume goes offline when you try to create a backup of the virtual machine on a Windows Server 2012-based failover cluster
2801054      (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2801054/ ) VSS_E_SNAPSHOT_SET_IN_PROGRESS error when you try to back up a virtual machine in Windows Server 2012
2813630      (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2813630/  ) Virtual machine enters a paused state or a CSV volume goes offline when you try to create a backup of the virtual machine on a Windows Server 2012-based failover cluster
2848727      (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2848727/ ) “Move-SmbWitnessClient” PowerShell command fails in Windows Server 2012
For more info and to download the update : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2870270

Resource outage when moving physical disc when using DPM to backup an HyperV Cluster.

July 13, 2013 4 comments

Microsoft just released a critical fix for hyper cluster that have been backed up by System Center DPM

“Physical Disk resource move during the backup of a Cluster Shared Volume (CSV) may cause resource outage”.

If you have configured a Windows Server 2012-based Hyper-V failover cluster CSV and your backup software perform the backup by using snapshots and the Physical Disk resource is moved to another node in the cluster, the Physical Disk resource may fail to come online if the backup of the CSV is in progress. As a result, virtual machines that rely on the CSV may crash.

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

More info :http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2869923

  • Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
  • Windows Server 2012 Essentials
  • Windows Server 2012 Foundation
  • Windows Server 2012 Standard

Hyper-V Windows Server 2012 R2: New Generation Of Virtual Machines and Enhanced VM Interaction

July 1, 2013 4 comments

New in Hyper-V Windows Server 2012 R2:

A new generation of Virtual Machine (Generation 2), which will provides the following new features 

  • Legacy free :  IDE drives and legacy network adapter support has been removed
  • UEFI based
    • Many emulated devices removed
    • Boots from virtual SCSI or synthetic network adapters (virtual hard drive,virtual DVD drive).
    • UEFI Secure Boot (enabled by default). Secure Boot is a feature that helps prevent unauthorized firmware, operating systems, or UEFI drivers (also known as Option ROMs) from running at boot time. Generation 2 virtual machines can take advantage of Secure Boot
    • PXE boot using a standard network adapter. In previous versions of Hyper-V if you wanted to perform a remote installation of the guest operating system via PXE boot, you were required to install a legacy network adapter for PXE boot in addition to the standard network adapter that you would use after the operating system was installed
    • UEFI firmware support

Note : The new format is only supported with the following guest OS

  • Supported guest operating systems:
  • 64-bit versions of Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  • 64-bit versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

Important : Once a virtual machine has been created, you cannot change its generation. You can host VM’s of different generations type, side by side.  For operating systems that are not supported by generation 2 virtual machines, they will need to be installed in a generation 1 virtual machine.

Virtual machine operating system boot time can be up to 20% faster with generation 2 virtual machines.
Installing the guest operating system can be up to 50% faster with generation 2 virtual machines
Enhanced VM Interaction
  • Full remote desktop capabilities
    • Shared clipboard
    • Audio redirection
    • Enhanced login
  • Enabled even when the network is down
  • Integrated into Hyper-V Management experience

Windows Server 2012 R2. What’s new in this new version….

June 5, 2013 Leave a comment

Windows Server 2012 R2 offers exciting new features and enhancements across virtualization, storage, networking, virtual desktop infrastructure, access and information protection, and more.

With Windows Azure VM and System Center 2012 R2, it unlocks improved application portability between on-premises environments and public and service provider clouds, increasing flexibility and elasticity of your IT services.

Windows Server 2012 R2 provides a scalable, highly available platform for mission-critical applications.

Windows Server 2012 R2 makes it easier to deploy a virtual desktop infrastructure, and can lower storage costs significantly by supporting a broad range of storage options and with a new feature VHD de-duplication.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure in Windows Server 2012 R2 makes it possible for users to access IT from virtually anywhere, providing them a rich Windows experience while ensuring enhanced data security and compliance.

For more info and evaluation:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/evalcenter/dn205292.aspx?CR_CC=200142594 (yet to be available)

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/windows-server-2012-r2.aspx?WT.mc_id=Newsletter_TechnetFlash_TechEd_General_EN_US&loc=zTS3z&prod=zWSz&tech=zOttechz&prog=zOTprogz&type=znewsz&media=zOTmediaz&country=zUSz

A Modern Approach to IT Infrastructure for Forward Thinking Businesses

May 27, 2013 Leave a comment
3 June – A Modern Approach to IT Infrastructure for Forward Thinking Businesses
You may not know it, but tech savvy, forward thinking organisations like yours can benefit from the same enterprise-grade IT infrastructure large organisations use – the kind that can grow as your business does, yet retain the flexibility to move with
market shifts.
This session will explore the ways you can simplify your IT management with limited IT budget and staff, and establish a solid platform for growth. We’ll outline Microsoft’s modern approach to IT infrastructure – including server consolidation and virtualisation, storage management, disaster recovery, cloud-ready IT and simplified administration.
Speakers:
Mike Heald – Windows Server Product Manager,
Microsoft Australia
Alessandro Cardoso – Insight Practice Manager,
Microsoft MVP, Microsoft APAC
About our Webinars
Hosted by a Microsoft expert, each fortnightly bite-sized session unpicks the current challenges and proposes ways in which Microsoft solutions can improve productivity, profitability and competitive advantage.
Each session includes a live chat feature so you can get answers to your tough questions. And it’s a great way to kick-start the conversation in your organisation.

Please ensure Silverlight is installed on your device to attend the Webinars on their live dates. Download here.

Register NOW

 

Private Cloud & Virtualisation Strategy Event – MELB/BRIS/SYD – All you need to know

May 8, 2013 2 comments

VIP Event.  Few seats available.

NEW CONTENT Added : What’s new in Windows 2012R2. Come and see what is coming!

Help your business gain maximum competitive advantage with minimal risk.

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You are invited to an exclusive event, as well the exclusive book launch of Alessandro Cardoso’s book System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 Cookbook.

Private Could and Virtualisation strategy with Insight, Microsoft and Veeam.

Mobile. Social. Big data. The cloud. These trends are all impacting how businesses engage with their customers, partners, and employees in order to better compete. We also know that for many modern CIOs and technology leaders, the cloud presents an opportunity to redefine the role IT plays in implementing business strategy.

Why attend?

Envisioning Your Private Cloud: Participate in a scenario based discussion.

  • Make more of your existing investments. Learn how to:
  • Take existing resources and skills to the private and public cloud
  • Use a single toolset to manage traditional and cloud environments
  • Use a common identity infrastructure to mitigate risk
  • Use a common platform to maximise IT and developer efficiency

Embrace the right IT for your business

  • Get maximum control with the private cloud
  • Obtain maximum agility and scalability with the public cloud
  • Get the best of both by extending private to public

Register now at:       http://au.insight.com/events/private-cloud-virtualisation-event/

Dates and Locations

Melbourne: Wednesday 29th May – 2:00 – 5:00pm
Microsoft – Level 5, 4 Freshwater place, Southbank, VIC, 3006

Brisbane:  Thursday 30th May- 8:30 – 11:30am
Microsoft – The North Stradbroke Island Room Level 28, 400 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000

 Sydney: Thursday 13th June – 8:30 – 11:30am
Microsoft – 1 Epping Road, North Ryde NSW 2113,

Sharing roles with Hyper-V on the same physical host

April 20, 2013 9 comments

Please DON’T !

I see so many questions around that, which means that some folks still do not understand:

Simple as that DO NOT ADD OTHER ROLES IF ADDING HYPER-V ROLE.

When the Hyper-V role is installed, the host OS becomes the Parent Partition, and the Hypervisor partition is placed between the parent partition and the hardware.

When you have the Hyper-V role installed keep it as a dedicated Hyper-V host server. Other roles and features not directly related to supporting the Hyper-V role are not supported on the parent partition and that includes DOMAIN CONTROLLER.

The only Roles and Features supported to be installed on the physical host (hyper-V) are:

  • File and Storage Services (installed and part of Hyper-V support)
  • Failover Cluster Manager (if host will become part of a cluster)
  • Multipath I/O (if host will be connecting to an iSCSI SAN, Spaces and/or Fibre Channel)
  • Remote Desktop Services (if VDI will be used on the host)

hyperv

Plus:

Also, when possible, choose the Server Core installation to reduce OS overhead, reduce potential attack surface, and to minimize reboots (due to fewer software updates).

Ensure hosts are up-to-date with recommended Microsoft updates, to ensure critical patches and updates – addressing security concerns or fixes to the core OS – are applied.

Host should be domain joined, unless security standards dictate otherwise. Doing so makes it possible to centralize the management of policies for identity, security, and auditing. Additionally, hosts must be domain joined before you can create a Hyper-V High-Availability Cluster.

Anti-virus software should exclude Hyper-V specific files using the Hyper-V: Antivirus Exclusions for Hyper-V Hosts article

Windows 2012 Hyper-V pass-through disks and Live Migration support

April 12, 2013 2 comments

Since Windows Server 2008 R2 and now with Windows Server 2012,  the performance improvements of Fixed and Dynamic disks are impressive. One of the main reasons that some IT folks were still deploying pass-through was due to the disk size limitation to 2TB. But in Windows 2012, with the VHDX format the  size limit increased to a huge 64TB and you have features that prevent corruption; plus, by using pass-through disks you lose benefits  such as portability, snap-shotting and thin provisioning.

In saying that,  as pointed by Jeff Woolsey, Microsoft Windows Server & Cloud:

Pass-through disks are supported during Hyper-V Live Migration ONLY if the Virtual Machine being migrated and the pass-through disk are manage by the same Hyper-V cluster :

Pass through disks are still supported with Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Live Migration (just like they were with Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V) as long as the migration of a clustered VM and the pass through disk is managed by the cluster.

Pass through disks are not supported for migrations outside of a cluster, such as:

  • Shared Nothing Live Migration or
  • Using standalone hosts with file on a SMB share (without clustering enabled)

…pass through disks aren’t supported because the pass through disk doesn’t have a way to move between hosts.

Again my recommendation  : STAY AWAY FROM PASS-THOUGH DISKS.

You will find similar recommendation from the fellow MVP’s Aidan Finn, Didier Van Hoye or Hans Vredevoort