Hyper-V, the Windows Server 2008 R2 hypervisor-based server virtualization technology, is a core component of the Microsoft private cloud. Hyper-V helps you to make the best use of your server hardware investments by consolidating multiple server roles as separate virtual machines (VMs) running on a single physical machine. It also helps you efficiently run multiple, different operating systems—Windows, Linux, and others—in parallel, on a single server, and fully leverage the power of x64 computing.

Benefits

• Increased availability of virtualized datacenters through enhancements such as Live Migration
• Improved management of virtualized datacenters through Powershell and System Center integration
• Increased performance and hardware support for Hyper-V virtual machines through support for up to 64 logical processors and processor compatibility mode
• Improved virtual networking performance through new networking technologies
• Simplified deployments of physical and virtual computers through enhanced support for .vhd files

System Center solutions help you accelerate your journey to cloud computing by enabling you to deliver cost-effective and agile datacenter services to manage your physical, virtual, and cloud environments in an integrated manner.

Benefits

• Scalable virtualization and management across datacenter infrastructure and business-critical workloads through resource-pooling
• Optimized service delivery across virtual machines, applications, and services by extending existing investments in Microsoft technologies
• Improved service reliability through standardized datacenter management processes with out-of-the-box, industry-certified, service-management workflows combined with orchestrated run book automation
• Improved business agility through IT in self-service mode, while enabling IT to retain control of your datacenter resources
• Greater flexibility to manage a wide range of heterogeneous datacenter requirements like multi-hypervisor and platform support, cross-platform monitoring, and more

Virtual Machine ManagerSelf-Service Portal 2.0

The Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal, built on top of Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V and System Center, is a free, extensible, turnkey solution that empowers datacenters to dynamically pool, allocate, and manage resources to enable on premises private cloud computing. Using this solution, you can create agile, virtualized infrastructures and facilitate business agility, operational efficiencies, and reduced management complexity.

Benefits

• Datacenter resource allocation for business units to help meet changing infrastructure needs through resource pooling
• Easier business unit on-boarding by registering business unit requirements in one centralized location
• Infrastructure provisioning and validation by enabling datacenter administrators to efficiently provision requested resources and assign them back to business unit IT administrators
• Streamlined virtual machine management though self-service provisioning
• Extensible functionality with guidance to help partners