Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 Versus Windows Server 2008 R2 Core with a Hyper-V Role Only

One of the great things about working at a backup appliance vendor is that you find yourself involved with a tremendous number of technologies.  Recently, I had a partner ask about Microsoft Hyper-V – in particular the differences between Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core with a Hyper-V role only.

Hyper-V exists in essence as two fundamental offerings: a stand-alone product called Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 and as part of Windows Server 2008 R2.

Hyper-V Server 2008 R2

Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 is a variant of Windows Server 2008 Core that includes full Hyper-V functionality with no other Roles possible and with limited services available.  Only a command line interface is available; the way that you do management and monitoring is by downloading extended Management Consoles that are installed on another Windows system and by using remote Windows desktop RDP sessions via a command line interface or redirected standard management consoles (MMC).

Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 is free and is primarily positioned by Microsoft to compete against VMware vSphere 4 ESXi’s free version.

Windows Server 2008 R2 with a Hyper-V Role Only

Windows Server 2008 R2 is a licensed product (i.e., you pay money for it) that allows you to run the full version of Enterprise or the Core version of Enterprise and four server (not desktop) versions of Windows Server 2008 R2 (or earlier versions of Windows Server.)  Windows Server 2008 R2 has the concept of Roles: one role is Hyper-V. Running a Hyper-V role only refers to using Windows Server 2008 R2 in its Core mode with only the Hyper-V role enabled.

One major advantage to running Windows Server 2008 R2 Core is that you get a license for either one or four Windows Server virtual machines.  If you buy Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard you get one a licence for one Windows Server virtual machine; if you buy Windows Server 2008 Enterprise you get a license for four Windows Server virtual machines.

The big difference between Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 / Windows Server 2008 R2 Core and Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard / Enterprise is the GUI in the latter.  For example, if you want to run anti-virus software, it’s typically easier to find products that work on standard/enterprise than it is to find products that work on Hyper-V server or Core.

Postscript

Is this complicated?  Heck yes.  This is the reason that Unitrends has its No Limits licensing scheme – to avoid all of this complex licensing stuff.

If you need to backup Hyper-V, Unitrends has Hyper-V backup protection.

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