Specifications

Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 Reviewer’s Guide 7
 Works with the rest of the data center – Because of its Windows Server and System Center pedigree,
VMM fits in well with the rest of the data center. VMM takes advantage of several Windows Server-based
foundational services, such as Active Directory, Failover Clustering, Windows Remote Management
(WinRM), WS-Management, and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). VMM does not require
the introduction of non-native services or applications that can increase infrastructure complexity and
entail additional IT resources to manage and maintain.
 Leverages investments in existing virtualization technologies – By enabling the management of
Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2, Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, and VMware ESX Server, VMM
capitalizes on existing investments in both Microsoft and VMware virtualization technology. It streamlines
management functions by centralizing best-of-breed management for both platforms without sacrificing
features. For example, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 hosts can take full advantage of integrated
Failover Clustering support while ESX Server hosts can utilize features such as virtual machine Resource
Pools and VMotion.
 Takes advantage of data center investments in SAN systems – Virtual machine images can be large
and therefore slow to send across the network. VMM automatically detects storage-attached network
(SAN) infrastructure where available and utilizes VDS technology to remap LUNS enabling faster
provisioning of new virtual machines and migration of existing virtual machines quickly.
 Provides rich scripting environment – Administrators will appreciate the ability to automate common
operations using the Windows PowerShell command line interface in Virtual Machine Manager. The
entire VMM solution is built on Windows PowerShell. This enables administrators to translate every
operation possible in the graphical environment into the Windows PowerShell equivalent easily.
Administrators can then use these scripts as the basis for customized, automated operations.
Virtual Machine Manager Features
VMM offers a number of features that address critical challenges when managing virtual infrastructure.
These features can help IT professionals deal with these challenges more efficiently and deliver
increased business value to the organization.
Flexible Deployment
VMM supports virtual machines in a number of environments, ranging from an isolated, standalone
setup to a geographically distributed enterprise. The list below briefly describes typical VMM
deployments across various situations.