Windows Server 2008 R2 introduced many new features over and above Server 2008, and now we hear that Service Pack 1 (SP1) will extend that even further.
Memory Over Commit:
This feature, or rather the lack of it, caused quite a few comments from the VMWare side of the virtualization world as they had it and Hyper-V didn’t.
Basically it allows you to assign more RAM to your Virtual Machines than you physically have available for example:
A physical host with 4GB RAM
4 VM’s each allocated 2 GB RAM
So a total of 8GB assigned with only 4GB available…what the what?! How can this work?!
Although machines will crash if the physical memory isn’t available, it reality it’s very rare for machines to use anywhere near the amount of RAM they have. It does still carry risks though so it isn’t for everyone!
Remote FX
Do you remember when Microsoft bought Calista around the start of 2008? They were a startup who:
“set out to create technology that allows remote workers to enjoy the same rich user experience over a network as with a locally executing desktop”
This includes:
- Full Fidelity Video
- Silverlight Support
- 3D Graphics
- Windows Aero
Based on this technology, Microsoft are introducing “RemoteFX” with Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, although there are keen to point out that this is:
“not a new standalone product from Microsoft. Rather, it describes a set of RDP technologies – most prominently graphics virtualization and the use of advanced codes – that are being added”
This will allow remote users/VDI users to have an experience much closer to that of a full desktop PC.
One thing to note is that:
If you want to use RemoteFX with a Windows 7 VM, it must be running on Hyper-V…so no VMWare!
Microsoft have always very closely with Citrix and now it’s been announced that Citrix will be integrating RemoteFX into their XenDesktop and HDX products.
