Windows Server 2012 R2 offers new ways to approach data centre deployment and management. Learn how the platform makes it possible to manage your datacentre more effectively, and master the options available for live migration with our handy infographic poster.
In order to transform your datacentre, you need to deliver your storage, compute, and networking resources as a shared, elastic resource pool. This datacentre-level abstraction is a critical part of Microsoft’s Cloud OS vision.
Based on our experiences running cloud-services like Windows Azure, we believe that the network should adapt to application requirements rather than the other way round, which is a limiting factor with traditional networking approaches. Indeed, all infrastructure should be programmable and automated to optimise for application needs, be they around provisioning or operations.
SDN is all about using software to make your network a pooled, automated resource that can seamlessly extend across cloud boundaries. This allows optimal utilisation of your existing physical network infrastructure, agility and flexibility resulting from centralised control, and business-critical workload optimisation from deployment of innovative network services.
To begin, Windows Server delivers Hyper-V Network Virtualisation to help you abstract your applications and workloads from the physical network. Virtual networks provide multi-tenant isolation while running on a shared physical network. Windows Server also provides a consistent platform through a built-in logical switch to define and enforce policy within and across datacentres.
Windows Server and System Center provide standards-based mechanisms to automate deployment and operations of both your physical and virtual networks.
In effect, with Windows Server and System Center, you can define and control network policies centrally and link them to your application requirements. As a result, the network configuration adjusts itself automatically when your application is moved. Windows Server and System Center deliver a built-in software gateway that helps bridge physical and virtual networks, thereby enabling frictionless mobility for your applications within and across datacentres. You can also extend your datacentre seamlessly into Windows Azure using the Windows Azure Virtual Network.
Windows Server and System Center are open and extensible to allow deep integration with your existing network infrastructure. Microsoft has a rich partner ecosystem with solutions across multiple areas, including switch extensions, network virtualisation gateways, and chipset extensions.
Live Migration Options
Windows Server 2012 R2 with Hyper-V offers a range of ways to handle live migration. The poster infographic below details those options.
Click to see the full-size version.
Want to learn more about the benefits of Windows Server 2012 R2? Download it and see for yourself.
Want more infographic posters detailing how to make the most of Hyper-V and Windows Server 2012? Grab them here.
And don’t forget that by testing out Windows Server 2012 R2, you have the chance to win an Xbox One!
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