Virtualization

Get enterprise-class virtualization for your datacenter and hybrid cloud

Bolster IT efficiency and flexibility with faster virtualized application deployment and maintenance. Built on Hyper-V, included in Windows Server, Microsoft virtualization solutions help reduce costs by consolidating more workloads on fewer servers. Increase IT agility and flexibility across on-premises and cloud resources with Microsoft virtualization solutions.

Hyper-V Overview Competitive Advantages of Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V White Paper Download the Windows Server 2012 R2 trial Read the Virtualization Fabric Design Considerations Guide

Virtualization has enabled a new generation of datacenters with more efficiency and availability for your most demanding workloads. Microsoft virtualization solutions go beyond basic virtualization capabilities, such as consolidating server hardware, to create comprehensive platforms for private and hybrid cloud. This means your organization can achieve considerable cost savings and operational efficiencies.

Whether you want to virtualize workloads, build a private cloud, scale your services through a public cloud, or combine all three, Microsoft’s virtualization and management solutions, built on Windows Server and System Center, can help you better manage resources and offer IT as a service. And when you migrate from VMware to Microsoft, you can adapt cloud computing to your business needs.

Benefits

Realize cost savings and operational efficiencies by using the platform you know—with Hyper-V built into Windows Server
Take advantage of a unified set of integrated management tools for your physical, virtual, and cloud environments with a single console view
Benefit from better economics than VMware with unlimited datacenter virtualization and management products licensed on a per-processor basis

Migrating to Hyper-V

Did you know that Hyper-V has had four times the growth of VMware's ESX over the past three years? As such, virtual machine migration is an increasing priority for many customers as more and more are exploring and evaluating the Microsoft platform against their existing VMware installed base. Whether it's virtual to virtual (from one hypervisor to another) or physical to virtual, migration provides a path for consolidation of workloads and services, and the foundation for cloud.

Available to assist is the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter (MVMC) 3.0, a supported, freely available solution for converting VMware-based virtual machines and virtual disks from VMware hosts to Hyper-V hosts and Windows Azure. MVMC 3.0 also enables physical server conversion to Hyper-V virtual machines to assist your virtualization acceleration.

Learn about this tool at http://aka.ms/mvmc and if you want to learn more about migration options, ask your questions at the migrations@microsoft.com alias.