What is Hyper-V?
Hyper-V is Microsoft's hardware virtualization platform that enables organizations to create and manage virtual machines on Windows Server. As a Type-1 hypervisor, Hyper-V runs directly on hardware, providing enterprise-grade performance and deep integration with the Windows ecosystem.
Core Features
Live Migration
Move running VMs between hosts without downtime.
- Shared Nothing Live Migration
- Storage Migration
- Quick Migration
Failover Clustering
High availability with automatic VM failover.
- Up to 64 nodes
- Cluster Shared Volumes
- Rolling upgrades
Hyper-V Replica
Built-in disaster recovery through replication.
- 15-minute RPO
- Extended replication
- Planned/unplanned failover
Shielded VMs
Enhanced security with encryption and attestation.
- BitLocker encryption
- Virtual TPM
- Host Guardian Service
Hyper-V Editions
| Edition | Cost | VM Licenses |
|---|---|---|
| Hyper-V Server | Free | Unlimited |
| Windows Server Standard | Licensed | 2 VMs per license |
| Windows Server Datacenter | Licensed | Unlimited VMs |
Getting Started
Quick Start
# Enable Hyper-V role
Install-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V -IncludeManagementTools -Restart
# Create virtual switch
New-VMSwitch -Name "External Switch" -NetAdapterName "Ethernet" -AllowManagementOS $true
# Create a VM
New-VM -Name "TestVM" -MemoryStartupBytes 4GB -Generation 2 -Switch "External Switch"
# Start VM
Start-VM -Name "TestVM"