Published: November 12, 2007   |   Updated: February 25, 2008

Virtualization technology can provide dramatic benefits to nearly all aspects of an organization’s IT environment. The ideal implementation depends on determining the business and technical requirements for the applications to be deployed to the virtual infrastructure. The process begins by collecting detailed information on the applications to be deployed. Details include specific hardware resource requirements in addition to availability, security, backup, and other considerations.

After all this information is collected and analyzed, it can be used to design the host infrastructure. Specific decision points include determining server placement, selecting a server form factor, mapping guests to hosts, and choosing backup and availability approaches. Numerous considerations also exist for designing the storage and network infrastructure to support the virtual environment.

Overall, by following an organized process for designing a server virtualization infrastructure, organizations can help ensure that they meet business and technical requirements.

Additional Reading

In addition to Virtual Server 2005 R2 with SP1 product documentation, the following sites offer supplemental information on the product concepts, features, and capabilities addressed in this guide:

• Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 at https://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/default.aspx provides a central location for information about the Virtual Server platform.
• Virtual Machine Technology FAQ at https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/highlights/virtualization/faq.mspx provides answers to commonly asked questions about Virtual Server functionality, licensing, and deployment options.
• Microsoft TechNet Server Virtualization forum at https://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=583&SiteID=17 provides a location in which architects, implementers, and users can discuss issues related to designing and deploying Virtual Server.
• The white paper, “Improving IT Efficiency at Microsoft Using Virtual Server 2005,” at https://www.microsoft.com/technet/itshowcase/content/virtualserver2005twp.mspx provides details on how Microsoft has implemented a Virtual Server 2005 infrastructure. An associated Webcast at https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032276998&EventCategory=3&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US is also available.
• See Microsoft TechNet Radio, “How Microsoft Does IT: The Future of Server Virtualization,” at https://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/tnradio/archive/june262007.mspx.
• Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Library at https://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/library/5341cb70-0508-4201-a6da-dcac1a65fd351033.mspx.
• Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Resources at https://www.microsoft.com/virtualization/resources.mspx#documents.