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+--- Thread: What is the architecture of Hyper-V and how does it work? (/showthread.php?tid=40)
What is the architecture of Hyper-V and how does it work? - savas - 04-05-2021
Hyper-V is Microsoft's virtualization technology, and understanding its architecture can be pretty fascinating. At its core, Hyper-V allows you to create and manage virtual machines (VMs) on a physical server. It lets you run multiple operating systems on a single hardware box, which can save money and resources in a big way.
The architecture of Hyper-V is built around the concept of a hypervisor. There are two types: Type 1, also known as a bare-metal hypervisor, which runs directly on the host’s hardware, and Type 2, which runs on top of an operating system. Hyper-V is a Type 1 hypervisor, meaning it interacts directly with the physical server’s hardware. This is one reason why it tends to be efficient and perform well compared to Type 2 hypervisors that need an operating system in between.
One important component is the Hyper-V Manager, which serves as the graphical management tool. Think of it as the dashboard where you can create, configure, and control your virtual machines. It provides an intuitive interface for setting up VMs, allocating resources, and managing the networks and storage associated with them.
The virtual machines themselves are hosted in what’s known as a "parent partition." This parent partition is essentially the original OS running on the hardware. It has direct access to the physical resources of the server. Then, in addition to the parent, you have "child partitions," which are the actual VMs. Each child partition operates in its isolated environment. They think they are using the hardware directly, but really, it’s the hypervisor that mediates their access to the physical resources.
Hyper-V employs a mechanism called "Virtualization-Based Security" (VBS) to help isolate VMs from each other, adding another layer of security. This is especially useful when you’re running different operating systems, like Windows and Linux, side by side. Each child partition has its own virtualized hardware - this means VMs can have their own virtual CPUs, memory allocations, network interfaces, and storage, all managed by the hypervisor.
Memory management in Hyper-V is quite smart, too, thanks to features like Dynamic Memory. This capability allows the VM to request memory according to its needs while the hypervisor dynamically adjusts how much is allocated. So if one VM is idle and another is under heavy load, Hyper-V can shift memory resources to optimize performance without you having to manually allocate it.
Networking is another key element in Hyper-V’s architecture. There’s the Virtual Switch, which acts like a physical switch you'd find in a traditional network environment. It enables VMs to communicate with each other and the outside world. Depending on your requirements, you can create different types of virtual networks: external, internal, or private. External networks allow VMs to connect to the physical network, while internal networks facilitate communication between VMs and the parent OS. Private networks create complete isolation, which can be useful for development and testing.
Storage management in Hyper-V is also quite flexible. You can use differencing disks and snapshots, allowing you to save the state of a VM and revert back if needed. This is super handy for testing software or making significant updates without the worry of breaking something; you can always roll back to a previous state.
All these components work together seamlessly, making Hyper-V a powerful tool for both small businesses and large organizations. Its architecture not only maximizes hardware utilization but also provides a robust platform for developing, testing, and deploying applications. As an IT professional, diving into Hyper-V can open a lot of doors to efficient resource management and cutting-edge cloud technologies.
I hope my post was useful. Are you new to Hyper-V and do you have a good Hyper-V backup solution? See my other post