Can I virtualize Exchange Server 2010 and be supported?
I was asked this by a university in Southern California. The answer is yes. Microsoft supports Exchange Server 2010 in production on hardware virtualization software only when all the following conditions are true:
- The hardware virtualization software is running:
- Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V technology
- Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V technology
- Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008
- Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2
- Any third-party hypervisor that has been validated under the Windows Server Virtualization Validation Program.
- The Exchange guest virtual machine:
- Is running Microsoft Exchange 2010.
- Is deployed on the Windows Server 2008 with SP2 or Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system.
- Doesn't have the Unified Messaging server role installed. All Exchange 2010 server roles, except for the Unified Messaging server role, are supported in a virtualization environment. This is due to the real-time response requirements associated with voice communications with the Unified Messaging server role.
- Meets all of the Exchange 2010 requirements set forth previously in this topic.
For more on Exchange 2010 running with hardware virtualization visit here.