Previously I showed how the architecture behind VMware vSphere clustering is so robust that even a remote virtual machine console remains connected as a VM migrates with VMotion from one host to another. VMware vSphere is designed from the ground up as an integrated virtualization solution — cleanly abstracting virtual machine operations from the underlying aggregate pool of physical hardware.
Microsoft Hyper-V R2 derives HA clustering capabilities and Live Migration from the additional Windows Failover Clustering layer that can be added to the hypervisor. With all that integration, you might think a remote console connection would seamlessly fail over along with the VM during a Live Migration.
Sorry, not in this release. Is it an omission, or just a bug? Time will tell.
Now that System Center Virtual Machine Manger 2008 R2 (SCVMM) PRO tips can be used to automate Live Migration — if it is integrated with System Center Operations Manger 2007 (SCOM), that is — administrators connected to a remote VM console may find themselves suddenly cut off.
See it in action in this short video:
Oh, sure it’s not hard to go back into SCVMM, find the VM, and reconnect — but should you have to do that manually? VM remote consoles may not be needed for day-to-day administrative tasks, but is that reasonable justification to ignore usability and integration?
Because the Microsoft Virtualization solution is a conglomeration of various components — Windows Server, hypervisor role, Failover Clustering, SCVMM, SCOM, etc. — it is much more difficult to provide a seamless experience. This remote console issue is really just an indicator.
I wonder what else times out or disconnects during a migration. I love vMotion, I drop anywhere from 0 to 1 pings while it happens.
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The VMViewer is connected to the hyper-v host originally hosting the VM, not to the VM. So, obviously this will fail as the VM Migrates.
Use Remote Desktop, You’ll actually see that the VM never looses a beat and keep’s working!
Regards,
I’m not sure “obviously” is the best way to characterize the failure since it does not happen on vSphere.
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