Frustrated with Installing the Hyper-V Manager to remotely manage Hyper-V Server 2008

 

Frustrated with Installing the Hyper-V Manager to remotely manage Hyper-V Server 2008

The Hyper-V Server 2008 installation was easy. Figuring out what I had to do to create virtual machines and remotely manage the free Hyper-V version was frustrating. To make a long story short I needed the Hyper-V Manager MMC, and to get started using this tool requires Windows Vista or Server 2008.

I did not already have a computer running one of the latest OS versions from Microsoft, but this was an understandable requirement. It was easy enough for me to build a new Server 2008 system. After that first set back, I began to lose patience because of having to continue to figure out how to make additional configurations that I thought would have been pre-set for this specialized, virtualization version of Server 2008. When you are ready to build VMs and you have to spend more time figuring out what else you need to enable it makes you mad.

Granted, part of my problem was because I was using servers in a workgroup and not a domain, but having to open the Server firewall to allow a connection from the Hyper-V Manager? I would have thought that Microsoft could have anticipated how administrators would need that configuration already in place. Besides, you can use a web browser for remote management of Virtual Server 2005, so why is this missing in Hyper-V Server 2008?

Anyways, the following are my steps and notes for installing the Hyper-V Manager MMC on a Server 2008 member server. Hopefully this post will benefit others who are setting up remote management for Hyper-V Server 2008.

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Installing the Hyper-V Manager on Server 2008

From the Hyper-V Configuration Tool Config Guide:

Managing Hyper-V Server Remotely with Windows Server 2008

To enable the Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Manager MMC:

NOTE: The Hyper-V Manager MMC is automatically installed when the Hyper-V role is enabled on full installations of Windows Server 2008.

1. In Windows Server 2008, click Start, and then click Server Manager.
   
2. Click Add Features.
   
3. In Remote Server Administration Tools, click Role Administration Tools. Enable Hyper-V Tools, and then click Next.
   
4. Click Install.
   
5. After the restart, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Hyper-V Manager.
   
6. In the left pane of the MMC, click Hyper-V Manager.
   
7. In the Actions menu, click Connect to Server, click Another Computer, and then type the name or IP address of the server that you want to connect to.
   

Screen shot of the Server Manager Add Features Wizard where you choose to install the Hyper-V Tools.

Then after the reboot you are able to open the Hyper-V Manager and then add your Hyper-V Server 2008 for remote management.

Unfortunately, I received the following error when attempting to connect to my Hyper-V Server 2008.

The problem occurs because Server 2008 and Hyper-V Server are in a workgroup and not a domain. The error I received contains “check that the virtual machine management service is running and that you are authorized to connect to the server.”

After some “angry” Google-ing my best guess for a production deployment resolution is to follow the advice at http://blogs.technet.com/jhoward/archive/2008/03/28/part-1-hyper-v-remote-management-you-do-not-have-the-requested-permission-to-complete-this-task-contact-the-administrator-of-the-authorization-policy-for-the-computer-computername.aspx

Since I was tired of making configuration changes, in a lab setting, and lazy I just disabled the Hyper-V Server 2008 Firewall using a console command I found at http://www.realtime-windowsserver.com/tips_tricks/2007/08/server_2008_core_crib_sheet.htm.

“Disable the firewall (at least until everything is working):
netsh firewall set opmode disable“

I also found some info about remotely managing a Windows 2008 Server Core firewall at http://www.petri.co.il/remotely-managing-windows-2008-server-core-firewall.htm.

Finally I was able to connect with the Hyper-V Manager and build a VM.

Are all the extra management tool installation and configuration clicks included in the VMware’s hypervisor installation comparisons?

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