Create image server operating system with Hyper-V and virtual machines

Question

Friends,
Need to replicate the environment they currently have, but wanted to optimize this operation by creating an image of windows server with Hyper-V and virtual servers already installed, what tool do I use? Can someone guide ???
Dreyher

Answer 1

I recommend you separate the task of protecting the host from the task of protecting the guest VMs. 
By "replicate the environment", do you mean backup the VMs in a recoverable state? or do you intend on migrating the VMs to another environment like another physical location? How much down time can you tolerate if any?
To backup the VMs use a VSS based backup solution. There's plenty out there, including Windows Server backup, Altaro, DPM, Veeam, and many more. This does not require installing agent on any of the VMs, and will not down the VMs during backup. Here's an
example Powershell script to backup all VMs on the local host:
Install-WindowsFeature -Name Windows-Server-Backup
$BackupTarget = "\\server\share"
$WbTarget = New-WBBackupTarget -NetworkPath $BackupTarget
$WBPolicy = New-WBPolicy
Add-WBBackupTarget -Policy $WBPolicy -Target $WbTarget
Add-WBVirtualMachine -Policy $WBPolicy -VirtualMachine (Get-WBVirtualMachine) # Add all VMs on localhost
Start-WBBackup -Policy $WBPolicy -Async
If the intent is VM migration from one location to another, there are plenty of tools to do so with minimal or no down time. Just bing it..
Sam Boutros, Senior Consultant, Software Logic, KOP, PA http://superwidgets.wordpress.com (Please take a moment to Vote as Helpful and/or Mark as Answer, where applicable) _________________________________________________________________________________
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