win2008 svr 64 bit / 32 bit compatability 1

[droodle]

hiya,

can someone confirm that if i use 64 bit 2008 svr then i can quite happily run 32 bit 2003svrs in vmware quite happily.

thanks

 

[ShackDaddy]

Quite happily.

I've done many 32-bit W2003 servers while running VMWare Workstation on Vista x64...same thing, essentially.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[kmcferrin]

Although if you're already running Server 2008, I would recommend using Hyper-V instead since it's built in. It will be much faster than running VMWare server on top of Server 2008.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[58sniper]

Although if you're already running Server 2008, I would recommend using Hyper-V instead since it's built in. It will be much faster than running VMWare server on top of Server 2008.

Or even better, running Hyper-V server, which doesn't run on top of Win2k8.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[kmcferrin]

Or even better, running Hyper-V server, which doesn't run on top of Win2k8.

There is no version of Hyper-V that runs on top of Windows. When you're running Windows 2008 and install the Hyper-V Role it inserts the hypervisor beneath the OS, and your previous "physical" Server 2008 install ends up virtualized and moved to the parent partition in the hypervisor.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[58sniper]

But Server 2008 w/ Hyper V is different from a licensing standpoint than Hyper V server. It drastically changes how you license guests.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[kmcferrin]

No it doesn't. If you run Windows guests you need a license for them, regardless of what the hypervisor is.

For example, if you run Hyper-V Server (stand-alone) you'll need a license for each Windows VM. But you can buy the Enterprise edition of Windows Server and install up to 4 VMs from that single license on your Hyper-V (stand-alone) server. Or you can buy the Datacenter edition of Windows Server and install an unlimited number of VMs from that single license on your Hyper-V (stand-alone) server.

Now, if you buy Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V you will still need a license for each VM that you virutalize on that server. If you bought the Enterprise edition of Windows Server you can install up to 4 VMs from that single license on your Windows Server 2008 w/Hyper-V server. Or you can buy the Datacenter edition of Windows Server and install an unlimited number of VMs from that single purchase on your Windows Server 2008 w/Hyper-V server.

Not only does it NOT drastically change how you license guests, it's is EXACTLY THE SAME.

By the way, you can replace the hypervisor used in the example above with XenServer, ESX, VirtualBox, or whatever floats your boat and the licensing stays exactly the same.

Windows Server "Standard" edition = only 1 VM per license
Windows Server "Enterprise" edition = up to 4 VMs per license, provided they are all on the same physical hardware
Windows Server "Datacenter" edition = unlimited VMs per license, provided they are all on the same physical hardware

The Hypervisor used is irrelevant.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[58sniper]

From what MS has told me, Hyper-V Server requires a license for each guest (basically, it doesn't come with any). Server 2008 w/ Hyper-V comes with a license for 1 physical and 1 virtual. That's what I'm referring to. You have to buy a license for the first server 2008 you put on Hyper-V Server, but not the first you put on Server 2008 w/ Hyper-V. My bad if I didn't explain what I meant. It's certainly confusing.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/