In a real-world production environment, you need to specify a system according to the design and business requirements.
When specifying the hardware for your private cloud deployment, take into consideration future growth needs. It is also important to apply the latest OS and software updates.
Use the following tables to carry out an extensive documentation of the hardware and software requirements for your deployment.
Create a document that outlines every solution component, describing the system requirements, before starting to implement it.
The following table shows you the supported OS and servers for SC 2012 R2:
|
Component |
OS/Server supported |
Version |
|---|---|---|
|
VMM server |
Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2012 R2 |
64 bit (Standard and Datacenter) |
|
VMM database |
SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 or higher |
Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter |
|
SQL Server 2012 and SQL Server 2012 SP1 | ||
|
VMM console |
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 |
64 bit (Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter) |
|
Windows Server 2012 and Windows 2012 R2 |
64 bit (Standard and Datacenter) | |
|
Windows 7 SP1 |
x86 and x64 Enterprise and Ultimate | |
|
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 |
x86 and x64 | |
|
VMM library |
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 |
Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter (full installation or Server Core installation) |
|
Windows Server 2012 and Windows 2012 R2 | ||
|
SC App Controller |
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 |
Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter |
|
Windows Server 2012 and Windows 2012 R2 |
64 bit (Standard and Datacenter) | |
|
WSUS |
Windows Server 2012 and Windows 2012 R2 - WSUS 3.0 SP2 |
64 bit (Standard and Datacenter) |
|
PXE |
Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, or Windows Server 2012 R2 |
64 bit (Standard and Datacenter) |
For any procedure that uses .vhdx, the library server must be running on Windows Server 2012.
The following are the hardware requirements to consider when specifying your VMM environment. The minimum values are the Microsoft-recommended values.
The first scenarios would be for up to 50 hosts, SMB environments, POC, and demos (all components installed on a single server). Although, for this type of scenario, you can have SQL installed on the VMM management server, the recommendation is to have SQL Server installed on another server:
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
One Processor, 2 GHz (x64) |
Dual processor, dual core, 2.8 GHz (x64) or higher |
|
RAM |
4 GB |
6 GB *2 |
|
Hard disk space (recommended OS partition) *4 |
20 GB |
40 GB or higher |
|
Hard disk space (VMM components )*1 *4 |
80 GB *2 |
150 GB *2 |
|
Hard disk space (VMM library) *1 *4 |
As a minimum, I recommend 80 GB, taking into consideration some samples from real-world implementation. However, this will vary depending on business requirements, the number and size of the files stored, and especially when working with templates. | |
|
Roles |
VMM management VMM library VMM console VMM database (SQL Server full version—Standard or Enterprise) *3 | |
|
*1 Excluding OS partition *2 With a full version of Microsoft SQL Server installed on the same server *3 The recommendation is to have SQL Server installed on another server *4 The recommended minimum total hard disk space for this deployment with full SQL is 270 GB | ||
The second scenario would be for up to 150 hosts. In this scenario, the recommendation is to have each component installed on a separate server, especially the VMM library server. Although (and this is not recommended) you can install SQL Server on the VMM management server as well.
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM management server:
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Pentium 4, 2 GHz (x64) |
Dual processor, dual core, 2.8 GHz (x64) or greater |
|
RAM |
2 GB |
4 GB *2 / 6 GB *3 |
|
Hard disk space *1 |
2 GB *2/ 80 GB *3 |
40 GB *2 / 150 GB *3 |
|
*1 Excluding OS partition *2 Without a local VMM database (SQL Server installed) *3 With a local VMM database (Microsoft SQL Server installed on the same server) | ||
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM database server:
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz |
Dual core 64 bit, 2 GHz |
|
RAM |
2 GB |
4 GB |
|
Hard disk space* |
80 GB |
150 GB |
|
* Excluding OS partition | ||
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM console:
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Pentium 4, 550 MHz |
Pentium 4, 1 GHz or higher |
|
RAM |
512 MB |
1 GB |
|
Hard disk space * |
512 MB |
2 GB |
|
* Excluding OS partition | ||
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM library server.
The minimum and recommended requirements for a VMM library server will be determined by the quantity and size of the files that will be stored.
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz |
Dual core 64 bit, 3.2 GHz or higher |
|
RAM |
2 GB |
2 GB |
|
Hard disk space |
As a minimum, I recommend 80 GB, taking into consideration the following table that contains some samples of real image sizes. However, the recommended size will vary depending on business requirements and on the number and size of files stored, especially when working with templates. | |
The following table will give you sizes of different ISO images:
|
Image |
ISO size |
Application |
|---|---|---|
|
en_windows_server_2008_r2_with_sp1_vl_build_x64_dvd_617403 |
2.94 GB |
Windows 2008 R2 |
|
en_install_disc_windows_small_business_server_2011_standard_x64_dvd_611535 |
6.35 GB |
SBS 2001 |
|
en_office_professional_plus_2010_x86_515486 |
650 MB |
Office 2010 |
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM management server:
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz (x64) |
Dual processor, dual core, 3.6 GHz or higher (x64) |
|
RAM |
4 GB |
8 GB |
|
Hard disk space* |
10 GB |
50 GB |
|
* Excluding OS partition | ||
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM database server:
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Dual-Core 64-bit, 2 GHz |
Dual core 64 bit, 2.8 GHz |
|
RAM |
4 GB |
8 GB |
|
Hard disk space * |
150 GB |
200 GB |
|
* Excluding OS partition | ||
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM console:
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Pentium 4, 1 GHz |
Pentium 4, 2 GHz or higher |
|
RAM |
1 GB |
2 GB |
|
Hard disk space * |
512 MB |
4 GB |
|
* Excluding OS partition | ||
The following table will give you hardware requirements for the VMM library server.
The minimum and recommended requirements for a VMM library server will be determined by the quantity and size of the files that will be stored.
|
Hardware component |
Minimum |
Recommended |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz |
Dual core 64 bit, 3.2 GHz or higher |
|
RAM |
2 GB |
2 GB |
|
Hard disk space |
As a minimum, I recommend 80 GB*, taking into consideration the following table that contains some samples of real image sizes. However, the recommended size will vary depending on business requirements and the number and size of files stored, especially when working with templates. | |
|
* Excluding OS partition | ||
The following table shows you the software requirements for the VMM management for SC 2012 R2:
|
Software requirement |
Notes |
|---|---|
|
Windows Remote Management (WinRM) 2.0 |
The WinRM service is set to start automatically (delayed start). If it is not configured in this way (manually modified or by GPO), you must configure and start it before installing VMM. |
|
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0, or Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 |
This is included in Windows Server 2012/ R2. Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 is available at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=267119. |
|
Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) |
To install the Windows AIK, you need to download the ISO from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=194654, burn the ISO file to a DVD or map the ISO if VMM is a VM, and then install the Windows AIK. Important Windows ADK replaced Windows Automated Installation (Windows AIK) as a VMM prerequisite in VMM 2012 R2. |
|
A supported version of SQL Server (if you're installing SQL on the VMM management server) |
Refer to the first table in this section for the supported OS's and servers for SC 2012 R2. |
|
SQL Server 2012 Command Line Utilities |
The SQLCMD utility allows users to connect to, send Transact-SQL batches from, and output row set information from SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, and SQL Server 2012 instances (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=239650&clcid=0x409). |
|
Microsoft SQL Server Native Client |
This contains runtime support for applications using native code APIs (ODBC, OLE DB, and ADO) to connect to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, and SQL Server 2012. SQL Server Native Client is used to enhance applications that need to take advantage of new SQL Server 2012 features (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=239648&clcid=0x409). |
The following table shows the requirement for the VMM console:
|
Software requirement |
Notes |
|---|---|
|
Windows PowerShell 2.0 |
This is included in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 |
|
At least Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1) |
On a computer that runs Windows 7, .NET Framework 3.5.1 will be installed by default. On a computer that runs Windows Server 2008 R2, if the .NET Framework 3.5.1 feature is not installed (not installed by default), the VMM setup wizard will install it. |
The following table shows the requirement for the VMM library:
|
Software requirement |
Notes |
|---|---|
|
Windows Remote Management (WinRM) 1.1 or 2.0 |
Version 1.1 is included in Windows Server 2008 Version 2.0 is included in Windows Server 2008 R2 By default, the WinRM (WS-Management) service is set to start automatically (delayed start). If it is not configured in this way (manually modified or by GPO), it must be configured and started before the setup can continue. |
Download the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 8.1 at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39982