Servicing a Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper V Host based cluster using Virtual Machine Servicing Tool 3.0

Microsoft has just released the beta of Virtual Machine Servicing tool 3.0. which manages the workflow of updating large numbers of virtual machine templates, offline .vhd files, and failover clusters according to their individual needs. To do this, the tool works with Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM 2008 or VMM 2008 R2) and with the following software update management systems:

• Windows Server Update Services [WSUS 3.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or SP2].

– Or –

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1, 2007 R2, or 2007 SP2.

Version 3 of the Virtual Machine Servicing Tool adds features to service virtual machines on a host, virtual machine templates, .vhd files, and Hyper-V failover clusters running on Windows Server 2008 R2. This version also supports virtual machines running 64-bit operating systems.

Servicing Offline Virtual Machines in a VMM Library

Servicing Stopped Virtual Machines on a Host

Servicing Virtual Machine Templates

Servicing Offline VHDs

Servicing a Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper V Host by Using Live Migration

In this blog we will see the workflow of Servicing a Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper V Host leveraging Live Migration via virtual machine servicing tool. You can update Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V hosts without any downtime of the virtual machines running on the host. This feature uses the maintenance mode of Virtual Machine Manager and the live migration feature of Hyper-V.

The servicing job for this feature does the following:

1. Selects the first Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V host to service, and then starts maintenance mode on the Hyper-V host. This in turn starts the live migration of all virtual machines running on the host.

2. Waits for the Hyper-V host in maintenance mode to evacuate all the of the high availability virtual machines running on the host to another node of the cluster on the host without any downtime for the running virtual machines.

3. Invokes either Configuration Manager or WSUS to update the host.

4. Moves the original virtual machines back to the original host if you select this option in the servicing job for this feature in the tool.

5. Selects the next Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V node in the cluster to repeat these steps as needed.

To see more on Virtual Machine Servicing tool join its beta here . Hope you find this information useful.

GAURAV ANAND