Microsoft takes off the gloves with Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1

In Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1, Microsoft has released a combination of operating system updates seem very convincing. Microsoft has joined most of the rest of the industry in the release annual roll-up with additional functions , and this time, they heard the criticism. More interesting are the characteristics of a superiority aimed directly at competitive virtualization and cloud . Some were impressive, despite some basic problems and perhaps anecdotal strange encounter .

Windows 8.1 is the answer to the complaints loud and noisy radical changes in the user interface found in Windows 8 , and today is a free update for 8.0 users . 8.1 It 'obvious that Microsoft is making major changes of the tablet and the touch user interface devices before the surface in order to compete with Apple and Android. 8.0 If you are not satisfied, then 8.1 is a shot in the bow of those who believe that laptop and desktop computers govern .

Microsoft has positioned Windows 2012 R2 directly in the data center and the use of services , along with Database Connectivity Azure cloud services and third-party service providers Azure. Other objectives include Oracle and Microsoft VMware .

Microsoft offers a Windows 2012 R2 to connect your package constructs Azure cloud services and anchors with various equipment suppliers free and paid competitors IaaS / SaaS competitors battle and MSP / cloud . Clenched teeth , Microsoft also supports specific instances of common Linux distributions A manageable as guests within Hyper - V and Azure infrastructure .
In contrast to the work done in 2012 R2 , Windows 8.1 is much lighter weight set of changes , and is directed largely critical of Windows 8.0.

Enabling technologies for authentication and access are important in a BYOD world . Many Windows users find Apple iTunes to be difficult to use as an authentication system for Windows , new versions often threaded . Microsoft has responded with a unified identity method to improve its own ecosystem of Windows Intune and Active Directory authentication methods in the balance

The Good News

What we liked about Windows 2012 R2 is that it is generally easier to use than Windows 2012 - fewer sharp edges - and 2012 R2 contains stronger networking, storage and hypervisor skills, we have found in testing. Microsoft has also made ​​it almost diabolically consistent and easy to enter the Windows 2012 R2 for Azure Clouds - and it is practical if the organizations have fast Internet tubes .

Both new versions of Windows are very targeted business customers , although a Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Edition (traditionally limited to 25 users or less ) is available, and do not review here . The Essentials Edition must live within three virtual machines total , which limits the possible users , unless something unexpected and magical happens in hardware.

If organizations want a control plan , gives Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 builds Ops Manager , Virtual Machine Manager , Configuration Manager and that are deeply intertwined in the depths Server 2012 R2 and Hyper -V.

During the briefing with Microsoft , we had to constantly disambiguate what was a Server or Azure or functionality, such as Microsoft System Center merges them together. In this way , Microsoft wants its value proposition to be considered as a mixture of the three, but this review focuses only on the server , Windows 8.1, and free access to Azure pack. A

For its part , Windows 8.1 solves the stupidity to bring back the familiar desktop , along with ways to access the applications in ways ancient and hallowed it. While the Windows Start menu is gone ( available by third parties , if desired) , there is a method to show applications on screen selections easily. Windows 8.1 also touts speed - but the equivalent speed is a better video drivers and more availability in organizational networks of 2012/Win8 SMB3 protocol , which can be plenty fast as a transport for communication.

SMB3 speed is not owned by Windows as SAMBA 4.1 - the open source SMB emulator that can be used by Mac OS, Linux , BSD and other operating systems other than Windows , is now compatible with SMB3 . However, NAS and SAN devices can not support up SMB3 suppliers may take.
Much attention in Windows 8.1 surround features found in tablets , such as your Pro Microsoft Surface . Object manipulation multi-touch and attention to the touch and keyboard combinations tethered abounds. We tested 8.1 and found a huge variety of manipulations Keyboard and Touch movements that have produced interesting effects.

2012 R2 and Hyper-V

In Windows 2012 R2 includes a number of storage options about to Hyper - V , but we found that R2 is likely to be launched from a wrist watch and store data on our sneakers - if it is NTFS formatted . We have successfully started your local hardware (you may need BIOS updates ) , iSCSI storage and virtual network . Many start the virtual machine , and Microsoft has made this particularly easy with Hyper - V V3 .
Hyper - V V3 has received a great deal of work and Microsoft as a " Generation 2 " platform VM- hosting hypervisor that provides a degree of para - virtualization layer top and cut much of the hardware -specific driver emulation , though other versions of OS / distributions hosted VMs still can find hotspots.

Hyper - V V3 and Windows 2012 VM boot also UEFI instead of traditional BIOS memory - Location - specific . This gave us a couple of attacks, but it works. It is possible to move virtual machines from one host to another using compression , and where hardware support is available to support it, very fast transport - 10 Gigabit Ethernet , Infiniband , and other Ethernet connections faster than - 10G . The high-speed connections are crucial for movement between VM hypervisor host tissues.

We tested virtual network switching components of Microsoft , and found it easy to handle, even if it is disconnected several remote machines making decisions inept . The instructions are not clear to us, and we were able crater two communications from our test server with ease. The drive to our network operations is long.
Hyper SDN - V V3 are easier to manipulate by System Center 2012 . Microsoft includes IP address management / IPAM in Hyper - V and VMware when found , is heaven sent for those who have a genuine desire to create virtualization platforms in which virtual machines can be transported easily from one host to another for performance or confinement on a farm of fabric / VM defined .

Resources Hyper - V V3 can be added in groups, and by using new VHDX shared disk stores can create islands internally - or for any purpose that hosted in the cloud, external cloud , whose resources must be opaque to other components of the cloud. We have not been able to find success with the constructs tested the opaque nature of what should be isolated clouds , but the evidence suggests rudimentary isolation . The format can also VHDX dynamically resize if necessary , we found that the process is quick , although during this period , the resources of the CPU and the disk may reach its peak even when the change is more . Heavy restrictions on CPU / counter tax disc resize stop it.

Also tried Hyper - V and Microsoft 2012R2 SDN IPAM and successfully under IPv4 ( other limitations prevented heavy test IPv6 ) . Software defined networks ( SDN ) through a territory that is divided in many organizations : computer virtualization and network management . Management of personal networks have traditionally used IPS , routing, switching and control infrastructure for load balancing, the hosts , hardware positioning NOC also . Using SDN means that what were once separate disciplines are forced to work together to make things work in the hypervisor host server where the demarcation was a time when the RJ-45 connector meets the server chassis.

IPAM has allowed us to define a core team of routable addresses and / or non-routable , then assigned to virtual machines hosted on Hyper - V host and other hosts / MV / devices our test network. We, in turn , allocate internal virtual switches related public or private with static / DHCP blocked and sticky. Inter VM Movements - fabric tasks still require a little " , we found it. IPAM Using one is recommended.

What we like is that the primitive and IPAM SDN can work well together , with the planning stages and applied . We could easily create clouds, and keep track of the direction of the reports. A Microsoft representative meditated in spreadsheets containing information regarding IP management in many organizations , calling him crazy . We agree , and I think IPAM or host-based hypervisor is a great idea. If only the DNS were mixed in more detail - and is not - that would be totally converted to the concept . We felt very comfortable anyway, even if the errors are harder to find when they occurred, as the set of directions drain . Joining networks and virtualization / host management disciplines will not be easy.

The Bad News

We found the head - scrapers and limitations. We found several weaknesses beginning to install the operating system from scratch for what should be a generic hardware . We were able to overcome them , but warn that installers will need to consider that Windows 2012 R2 and , above all, may require an upgrade of the server firmware supports UEFI BIOS , as with our ThinkServer Lenovo and HP DL 380 Gen8 . When you can not install Windows 2012 R2 (R2 or Hyper - V V3 - R2) , we received an inarticulate flash an error message . We took a video of it to understand that there was a problem with ACPI - not UEFI. The lawn between platform providers and managers for OS / hypervisor is real and strong, but Microsoft is not alone , and we have supported driver / platform with VMware and Oracle mysticism ,We found that ' Hyper - V can not be re - instantiated.

This means that no hypervisor on top of a hypervisor . Microsoft claims that there has been no customer demand for this, but also imposes a limit. Although running a hypervisor on a hypervisor seems silly , there are cases where it is useful . One of the functions is often cited in the test laboratory of production, and another that is used SDN Microsoft - Hyper - V V3 should always be the base layer to talk to the silicon metal and a server , exclude other systems with direct access the metal and thus prevent other schemes SDN .
The package uses the same infrastructure Azure Hyper - V Windows Server 2012 R2. Microsoft offers a glimpse of what other third-party vendors can offer , in the form of services and equipment ready to deploy pre-built . We were reminded of what TurnKeyLinux began several years ago , in terms of available devices constructed from substrates Linux. There is a wide range of samples of devices available , but we tried worked - complete WordPress sites that were ready for the skins and customizations.

A bus service bus message actually connects the components in the clouds that serve the package Azure and Hyper - V The bus service connects sets specific API Microsoft , after the creation of a framework of " namespace " . Communications can be subscribed and published within the framework and in the namespace of its members from office via REST , Advanced Message Queuing Protocol / Windows AMQP and instrumentation API . The bus service product reminds us like puppets , chefs , and others in the Linux world , the Communication on a framework similar stack for rapid deployment and ease of VM infrastructure and fleet management .

Windows 8.1

When Windows 8.1 is upgraded to Windows 7 or Windows 8 platforms , the upgrade was quick and no mistakes . Windows XP can run on top of Hyper - V hypervisor or type 2 application , but have not tried this, as we withdraw from Windows XP completely and we hope that readers have , too. As Windows 8.0, 8.1 you can use the latest version of Hyper - V V3 as a base for other OS versions can be used on the same host hardware with resource constraints for guests or 8.1 , SDN , IPAM Hyper - V and other features.
Windows UI 8.1 is initially identical to Windows 8.0 , but with the addition of an icon on the desktop that can be touched / chosen to be optionally followed by a resource residing or more familiar to XP and Windows 7. We also find applications jump start your screen that allows applications to be easily chosen , although not to the same topic drop -box provider that Win XP and Windows 7 can be used for. If many applications , the screen must be displaced. Windows XP / 7 users that have accumulated dozens of applications can be as frequent as scrolling long lists of applications can fill many screens .
We found the customization options of the user interface , and we realized we could do combinations busy Live Tiles . And ' possible to insert RSS feeds into tiles if they are compatible , which we feel is a compelling amount of information available in a matter of a handful of chips, and attractiveness of the movement tablets chip combinations to suit different situations use . Applications that use Windows 'traditional' are easier to handle, and now users can move several windows adjacent to each other (especially useful on multiple monitors ) without having to click on the options crater positioning behavior , such as occurred in 8.0 and even Windows 7 editions .

Users of desktop / laptops have taken a back seat to tablets in this update, and hoped some of the bridges for Windows 7- ish look- and-feel are missing, as we found the 8.1 changes more easily demonstrated in tables. However, the mouse or touch sweeps are more customizable , but the textures can be imposed on the GPO. If you are looking for the familiar Start button, you still have to charge a third party application provider . Microsoft , like Apple and Google , it really would prefer that you get pitchers , and other third party applications on Microsoft 's online store , which is much more full of new applications and diverse family when Windows 8.0 was released. You can still install from sources "unauthorized" , if you prefer, or if you want the draconian or just concerned about safety .
Recent changes in 8.1 in terms of speed were not spectacular , in our subjective analysis . From Windows 8.1 uses Server Message Block V3/SMB3 functions when connected to Windows 2012 + network resources that allow different functions , including encryption SMB , the SMB traffic aggregation for speed, and the TPC "signature" and apparently reliable apparently no relationships and divorce -host clients . We say apparently , because we are sure of a comprehensive methodology to test them , and therefore do not have.

Overall

Microsoft has been busy. Windows Server 2012 R2 , while a major upgrade of the operating system , it is perhaps more on Hyper - V and Azure V3 Pack, and is a trend towards the strengthening of the Microsoft platform as the flexibility of the platform begins to replace the operating system functional the lowest common denominator for the application infrastructure . To achieve these goals , Hyper -V now controls most of the network operating system , more storage and connectivity options so the operating system , and the availability of applications and administrative control bond than ever.

Meanwhile , Windows 8.1 is now the client-side experience that provides access to the web and client / cloud-based services , which are becoming increasingly irrelevant in the place where the persistent connectivity is available . The launch of Windows 8.1 is available in a smaller number of ways that Window 8.0, which comes in a smaller number of forms of Windows 7. Forms of reduction reveals that now the versions must be synchronized through a wide variety of platforms, from traditional PCs and laptops , tablets, phones and platforms / Desktop -as-a -Service VDI . More attention to this variety of user devices in Windows 8.1 also includes attention to criticism apparently staggering change old Windows user interfaces for the interface of Windows 8 tiles .

Windows as a client and not as old leaky windows , but it is accessible to a more familiar. If the changes customers can re 8.1 users unhappy love , and roll with a new competitive strokes , remains to be seen .

How We Tested Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1

For Windows Server 2012 R2 , we tested the RTM version downloaded from MSDN. We have implemented and tested the DataCenter version in both bare metal servers HP ( DL580G5 , 16core , iSCSI , Dell ( Compellent iSCSI SAN servers and old Dell ) and Lenovo ( 580 ThinkServer with 16 cores , 32 GB ) and multiple hypervisors . Di Windows 2012 R2 basic operations successfully installed on top of VMware vSphere 5.1 and 5.5 , Oracle VirtualBox 4.2 , quoted V3 Hyper - V and Citrix XenServer 6.2 , and we find a lot of flexibility and a couple of servers that need to change previous firmware for Hyper - V or 2012 R2.
Windows 8.1 was tested on a surface Pro Microsoft , Lenovo T530 notebook , and as virtual machines , upgrade to Windows 7 Professional and Enterprise versions of Windows 8.0 , and the new T530 notebook hardware installation UEFI.
The test was carried out between the Lab ( Gigabit Ethernet switching infrastructure) connected through Xfinity broadband in our NOC at Dodge / nFrame to ( Indianapolis switched Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure with links 10GB Extreme switches , connected through a network core backbone router GBE , Compellent iSCSI SAN with multiple hosts running VMware , XenServer , BSD , various versions of Linux , Solaris , in turn connected to Amazon web Services and Microsoft Azure Cloud) .