Before you start deploying your first production Hyper-V host, make sure that you have completed a detailed planning phase. I have been called in to many Hyper-V projects to assist in repairing what a specialist has implemented. Most of the time, I start by correcting the design because the biggest failures happen there, but are only discovered later, during implementation. I remember many projects in which I was called in to assist with installations and configurations during the implementation phases, because these were the project phases where a real expert was needed.

However, based on experience, this notion is wrong. Most critical to a successful design phase are two features-its rare existence and someone with technological and organizational experience with Hyper-V. If you don't have the latter, look out for a Microsoft Partner with a Gold Competency called Management and Virtualization on Microsoft Pinpoint (http://pinpoint.microsoft.com) and take a quick look at the reviews given by customers for successful Hyper-V projects.

Before you start your first deployment in production, make sure you have defined the aim of the project and its smart criteria and have done a thorough analysis of the current state. After this, you should be able to plan the necessary steps to reach the target state, including a pilot phase.