Hyper-V :
-Differences Between Hyper-V VHD and VHDX Files
VHD VHDX
The basic file format supported by Windows,
An advanced file format supported by Windows
Citrix, and Oracle
Up to 2 TB of storage capacity Up to 64 TB of storage capacity
VHD files offer less protection against data VHDX files provide robust data corruption
corruption than their VHDX counterparts protection by keeping track of metadata
Support for custom metadata is not provided Custom metadata is supported and can be stored
Supported by Windows Server 2008, 2008 R2,
Supported by Windows 2012 and later
2012 and 2012 R2
No live resizing Live resizing is available
Logical sector size of 512 bytes Logical sector size of 4 KB
Issues with data alignment Better data alignment
Trimming is not supported Trimming is supported
-The Differences Between Hyper-V Generation 1 or 2 :
There are several key differences between generation 1 and generation 2 VMs. These
include:
Boot Process:
Generation 1 VMs use the traditional BIOS boot process, while generation 2 VMs use the more
modern UEFI boot process.
Firmware:
Generation 1 VMs use BIOS firmware, while generation 2 VMs use UEFI firmware.
Boot Options:
Generation 2 VMs support more advanced boot options such as Secure Boot, which is not available
in generation 1 VMs.
Device Support:
Generation 2 VMs have improved device support, including support for larger virtual hard disks (up
to 64 TB), which is not available in generation 1 VMs.
Operating System Support:
Generation 2 VMs only support 64-bit guest operating systems, while generation 1 VMs support
both 32-bit and 64-bit guest operating systems.
Integration Services:
Generation 2 VMs come with improved integration services, including support for online backups,
remote desktop, and more.
FAQ Answer
No, it’s not possible to convert a Gen 1 VM to a Gen 2 VM. You’ll
Can I convert a Gen 1 VM to
need to create a new Gen 2 VM and migrate your data and settings
a Gen 2 VM?
over manually.
Can I run both Gen 1 and Yes, it’s possible to run both Gen 1 and Gen 2 VMs on the same
Gen 2 VMs on the same host host server, as long as the server meets the hardware requirements
server? for both types of VMs.
-What Is Hyper-V Dynamic Memory?
Hyper-V Dynamic Memory is a feature that allows you to dynamically allocate memory resources
to the VMs running in Hyper-V environments. This functionality reclaims a part of unused memory
from VMs that don’t need it at that particular moment and then reassigns the reclaimed memory to
other VMs that actually require it.
With Hyper-V Dynamic Memory, you can specify the amount of startup memory that the VM can
use, set the range of available physical memory for a specific VM, and determine the VM’s priority
for memory allocation. Physical memory can be efficiently and dynamically assigned to the VM on
an as-needed basis and with minimal performance impact. As a result, you have more granular
control over memory usage and enhanced resource optimization.
Types of virtual switches on Hyper-V :
On Hyper-V, it is possible to create 3 different types of switches:
• External
• Internal
• Private
External switch
The external type switch is mainly characterized by the fact that it is linked to a physical network
card of the Hyper-V host. If the physical network card is connected to a device (switch), the virtual
network cards connected to this switch will have access to the “physical” network.
The external switch is used to connect the virtual machines to the same network as the Hyper-V
host, if a DHCP server is present, the virtual machines will have an assigned IP address.
Virtual machines that will have a virtual network adapter connected to the same external switch will
have access to the same network as the host, so they will be able to communicate with each other.
A physical network adapter cannot be linked to more than one external switch.
Internal switch
The internal switch is “quite similar” to the external switch with the main difference that it is not
bound to a physical adapter on the Hyper-V host and therefore virtual machines do not have access
to the “physical” network.
When creating an internal switch, a virtual card is created on the Hyper-V host which is connected
to it, this allows from the Hyper-V server to access the network to this network and for example to
take the hand on virtual machines.
This type of switch is useful if you want to create isolated labs while still being able to take
control from the Hyper-V host.
Private switch
A private switch is a virtual switch that completely isolates the virtual machines, there is no network
switching between the Hyper-V host and the virtual machines.
