Category Archives: Networking

Microsoft Hyper-V Migrations

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We’ve recently had to migrate a few Microsoft Hyper-V Virtual Servers from one host server to another.  This is useful if you have purchased new server hardware, but want to keep your current virtual servers as they are.  Another purpose is in the event of a partial hardware failure – for example you have lost more than one hard drive.  The ability to move virtual machines (VM) from one host server to another is a built-in feature of Microsoft Hyper-V, but requires several steps.

Here are a few tips:

  1. Take a full backup of each VM before you do anything else.
  2. I use the term ‘migrate’ loosely.  What we are actually doing is exporting a VM from one host to another.  You cannot simply copy and paste virtual servers.
  3. Make sure you do not have any snapshots.  Otherwise you won’t be able to export your VMs.  I STRONGLY urge my customers not to use snapshots – but if you have them, they must be merged before a migration can begin.
  4. Your virtual network settings need to match on both your old and new host servers.
  5. We have had issues losing the Server Identification Number (SID) when moving virtual database servers.  It can be sort of hit-or-miss. This is why backups are so important.
  6. If possible, export your virtual servers from your old server directly to the new storage location.  There is no need to move them twice and by doing so, you are eliminating possible failure points.
  7. After you have imported your virtual servers onto your new hardware, test each server before deleting the old copies.  Use caution not to have both the old VMs and new VMs running at the same time.
  8. Although I suggest migrating Hyper-V 2008 servers to another 2008 server, it is possible to migrate from a Hyper-V 2008 server to a Hyper-V 2012 server.  We will cover that in another article.  (Read as: after I have a chance to try it!)

ChaseChase Reitter
Network Consultant
Custom Systems Corporation
[email protected]
© Copyright 2013-20114 Custom Systems Corporation

Cloud vs. hard drive storage and security

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Cloud storage allows users to save pictures, music, files, and other data to a server on the Internet that can then be easily retrieved from any device such as another PC/Mac, Smartphone or Tablet.

Hard drive storage is primarily used to store data from a single PC or Mac to the local computer that can only be retrieved on the PC/Mac it was saved to.

The growing trend in Cloud Storage is due primarily to today’s mobile lifestyle.  We want to be able to access our pictures, music, and files from any device at any time, in any location.  Sharing our data with others is also important as we rely upon social media as a primary means of personal and business communication.  Take a picture or video on your Smartphone, upload it to Facebook, post it to Instagram, save it to the cloud server, and then later open it on your Mac to do some Photoshop.  It is all easily accomplished with Cloud Storage.

In contrast, with local or hard drive storage you must take a photo with your phone, email it to yourself and save to your PC.  Put it on a flash drive and email or upload it to social media.  Back it up because it is your only copy, and hope you never lose the hard drive on your PC.

The mobile lifestyle requires easy transfer of data through a ubiquitous partner we call the Cloud.  Any app on any device can share, save, and edit the data easily.  Oh, and did I mention the Cloud provider promises to back up your data so you don’t have to worry about losing it?  Say goodbye to a USB hard drive connected to your PC/Mac and the frequent task of making local backups that we never seem to have the time to do.   You say your local backup is automatic… did you ever check it?  I don’t but I am also too mobile to be at home to check it.  Put another check mark in the “Cloud” column for me.

How safe is my data?  Well, how safe is your house? If a thief steals your PC and USB hard drive, your data  is gone.  Be unfortunate enough to be driven from your home due to a local disaster and the data is just as gone should there be a flood, hurricane, tornado, or other all too frequent event that interrupts our lives.

How safe is the cloud? Well that depends too since anyone can access the cloud from any device at any time with only a username and a password. Maybe the small inconvenience of creating a secure password is not too high of a threshold to cross. Yes, I’m talking to you who thinks having a capital “P” on Password will keep you secure, or maybe adding a “1”, as in Password1.  Your data is as good as gone, or worse copied by someone without your knowledge with an insufficient password.

If you can get serious about a password – nothing in the dictionary, no names, significant dates, or easily guessed family and pet names – then you are safe.

Local storage provides high capacity, fast retrieval, and the security to know where your data actually resides.  Cloud storage provides on-demand access anytime from any device  provided you can use a secure password.  I don’t see myself becoming any less mobile with the current trends in storage, so I vote for the cloud.  A good password is a small price to pay!

Paul R. CookPaul R. Cook
Vice President, Network Services
[email protected]

 

 

 

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