11384» Configuring Hyper-V server properties (26-February-08)

Q. How do I configure my Hyper-V server properties?

A. You configure server properties via the Virtualization Management Console (VMC), which you can access via its Administrative Tools shortcut or via the Server Manager console. The main properties of the server are configured in two sections. The first section is the actual overall virtualization settings which are accessed by selecting the server in the VMC and clicking "Virtualization Settings..." in the Actions pane. This lets you configure paths and how keyboard activity is handled (which is similar to the options available for an RDP session). The Virtual Hard Disk and snap shot (Virtual Machines) paths are configured by selecting the option and modifying the path accordingly from the defaults. The default virtual hard disk path is C:\Users\Public\Documents\Virtual Hard Disks and the default virtual machine path is C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Virtualization. wsv2.jpg The Keyboard option allows configuration of where special key combinations are sent (e.g., local, remote) and how full screen affects it. (One option allows special keys to be sent if the client is in full screen mode but not if it's in a windowed mode.) Release Key lets you configure the escape key to release focus when the Integration Components are not installed in the virtual machine. These components are the Hyper-V equivalent of the virtual machine additions, which offer a more seamless experience. The other component is the "Virtual Network Manager..." action, which lets you configure the network adapters that are available to the virtual instances. By default, when the role was installed, the network adapters in the physical box could be selected for use by the Hyper-V server. It is possible to create additional network switches that can be internal and therefore don’t need to physically exist and can be used to connect virtual instances on a single server.

—John Savill