Hyper-V: All virtual network adapters should be enabled

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

This topic is intended to address a specific issue identified by a Best Practices Analyzer scan. You should apply the information in this topic only to computers that have had the Hyper-V Best Practices Analyzer run against them and are experiencing the issue addressed by this topic. For more information about best practices and scans, see Best Practices Analyzer.

Operating System

Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2008 R2

Product/Feature

Hyper-V

Severity

Warning

Category

Configuration

Issue

One or more virtual network adapters associated with a physical network adapter are disabled in the management operating system.

Impact

The configuration of this server is not optimal.

The management operating system cannot connect to a physical (external) network using one of the physical network adapters on this computer because the associated virtual network adapter is disabled.

Resolution

Use Network Connections to enable the virtual network adapter. Or, use Virtual Network Manager to reconfigure the external virtual network so that it is not shared with the management operating system.

By default, membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. However, an administrator can use Authorization Manager to modify the authorization policy so that a user or group of users can complete this procedure. For more information, see Using Authorization Manager for Hyper-V Security (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142886).

To enable the virtual network adapter

  1. Open Network Connections. (Open Control Panel, click Network and Internet, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Change adapter settings.)

  2. Information about each network adapter is listed below its name. Use that information to find the disabled network adapter.

  3. Right-click the disabled network adapter, and then click Enable.

If you want this network connection to be used only by the virtual machines on this physical computer, perform the following procedure.

To stop sharing the external virtual network with the management operating system

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Hyper-V Manager.

  2. From the Actions menu, click Virtual Network Manager.

  3. Under Virtual Networks, click the name of the external virtual network.

  4. In the Connection type area, under the name of the physical network adapter, clear the Allow the management operating system to share this network adapter check box.

  5. Click OK.