Run IT on a Virtual Hard Disk – Test Drive Program
The Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) format is the common virtualization file format that provides a uniform product support system, and provides more seamless manageability, security, reliability and cost-efficiency for customers.
Featured VHDs
Using the power of virtualization, you can now quickly evaluate Microsoft and partner solutions through a series of pre-configured Virtual Hard Disks (VHDs). You can download the VHDs and evaluate them for free in your own environment without the need for dedicated servers or complex installations. Start now by selecting an item from the VHD catalog below.
- System Center Configuration Manager v.Next on Windows Server 2008 R2
This download is a fully configured virtual machine for Configuration Manager v.Next Beta 1. Based on a Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 OS, this is a fully built virtual machine ready to import into your Hyper-V environments. Configuration Manager provides IT a lean, unified infrastructure to deliver these new capabilities and workloads for client management, virtualization, and security. The solution puts IT in control of costs and compliance, providing an evolutionary path to new capabilities that leverage existing, people, processes, and technologies. Configuration Manager reduces the cost and complexity of IT compliance by delivering visibility, discovery, and enhanced, IT-definable remediation capabilities. Find more information here.
- Visual Studio Lab Management (pre-release) 2010 for Windows Server 2008 R2
Download this fully configured virtual machine of the latest release of Visual Studio Lab Management (pre-release) 2010. Evaluate the new capabilities of Visual Studio Lab Management 2010 which enables teams to accelerate setup/tear down and restoration of complex virtual environments to a known state for test execution and build automation. It extends build automation by automating virtual machine provisioning, build deployment and build verification in an integrated manner. It also allows testers to file rich bugs with links to environment checkpoints that developers can use to recreate complex environments, effectively reducing wasted time and resources in your development and test lifecycle. The detailed walkthrough steps can be found here.
- Exchange Server 2010 SP1 for Windows Server 2008
Download this fully configured virtual machine of the latest release of Exchange Server 2010. Evaluate the new capabilities of Exchange Server 2010, which helps you achieve new levels of reliability and performance by delivering features that help to simplify your administration, protect your communications, and delight your users by meeting their demands for greater business mobility.
VHDs by Product
Windows Server 2008 R2 (Hyper-V)
Windows Server 2008 (Hyper-V)
Windows Server 2003 R2 (Virtual Server R2)
Learn More About VHDs
VHD Product Overview
Learn about the VHD Test Drive Program, get an introduction to virtual machine technology, and read about key features and benefits of using VHDs in this overview. |
Frequently Asked Questions about VHDs
Find general information about using VHDs, virtual machine technology, requirements, and more in the VHD FAQ. |
Become a VHD Test Drive Partner
The Microsoft VHD Test Drive Program provides Microsoft’s partners a convenient and simplified process for creation of application images, facilitates its widespread distribution by making it available as a free download and enables accelerated evaluation and testing of these applications by customers. Please contact vhdinfo@microsoft.com for more information. |
VHD Image Format Specifications
With the VHD format now available as a freely available specification, Microsoft is contributing to the continued expansion of the virtualization market by fostering interoperability among all commercial software solutions, including open source. |
