about_VMM_2012_Host_Platforms

Applies To: System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager

about_VMM_2012_Host_Platforms

TOPIC
    about_VMM_2012_Host_Platforms

SHORT DESCRIPTION
    Provides an overview of new virtual machine host features in Virtual 
    Machine Manager (VMM) for System Center 2012 and the VMM command-line
    interface.

LONG DESCRIPTION
    VMM for System Center 2012 enables you to deploy and manage virtual 
    machines and services across multiple hypervisor platforms, including 
    Hyper-V, VMware ESX and ESXi hosts, and Citrix XenServer hosts. VMM 
    enables you to manage and provide resources from multiple hypervisors 
    and make the resources available to private cloud deployments, all from 
    a common command-line interface.

  Hyper-V Hosts

      In VMM, you can add the following types of servers as managed 
      Hyper-V hosts:

      - Windows Server computers or Windows Server failover clusters in an 
        Active Directory domain that is trusted by the domain of the VMM 
        management server. This includes Windows Server computers in a 
        disjointed namespace.

      - Windows Server computers in an Active Directory domain that is 
        untrusted by the domain of the VMM management server.

      - Windows Server computers in a perimeter network.

      - Physical computers that do not have an operating system installed.

      For more information about adding Hyper-V hosts and host clusters to
      VMM, see the Add-SCVMHost, New-SCVMHost, and Add-SCVMHostCluster
      cmdlets.

  VMware ESX Hosts

      VMM integrates directly with VMware vCenter Server. You can manage
      the day-to-day operations of VMware ESX hosts and host clusters, such as
      the discovery and management of ESX hosts, and the ability to create, 
      manage, store, place and deploy virtual machines on ESX hosts by using 
      the VMM command shell. 

      However, more advanced fabric management needs to be performed through 
      vCenter Server, such as the configuration of standard vSwitches and port
      groups, vMotion and Storage vMotion. By integrating with vCenter Server
      to manage ESX hosts, VMM can recognize and support these VMware features.

      For information about the key differences in managing ESX Hosts in VMM
      for System Center 2012, see "Managing VMware ESX Hosts Overview" in the
      TechNet library at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=214039.

  Citrix XenServer Hosts

      Through VMM, you can manage the day-to-day operations of XenServer hosts
      and XenServer pools through the VMM command shell. These operations 
      include the discovery and management of XenServer hosts and pools, and
      the ability to create, manage, store, place and deploy virtual machines
      and services on XenServer hosts. 

      Through VMM for System Center 2012, XenServer hosts are directly managed.
      Therefore, there is no interaction between the VMM management server and
      the XenCenter server.

      The XenServer parameter has been added to the Add-SCVMHost,
      Add-SCVMHostCluster, and Find-SCCluster cmdlets to indicate the specified
      action will be taken on a XenServer host.

SEE ALSO
    about_VMM_2012
    about_VMM_2012_Cmdlet_and_Parameter_Name_Mapping
    about_VMM_2012_Cmdlet_Backward_Compatibility
    Add-SCVMHost
    New-SCVMHost
    Add-SCVMHostCluster 
    Find-SCCluster