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5 Things I learned the hard way while setting up Hyper-V

1. Hyper-V can only be turned on in 64 bit versions of Windows Server 2008. Don’t spend 4 hours downloading and installing the 32 bit version DVD from MSDN, realise the Hyper-V role doesn’t exist, and then another 4 hours downloading and installing the 64 bit version.

2. Make sure you RTFM and enable the hardware virtualisation in your BIOS or it just won’t work.

3. Make sure you download all automatic updates as Windows Server 2008 shipped without Hyper-V. It has to be downloaded as an update. Remember to turn auto updates on too.

4. If you want more than 4 virtual machines, you need Windows Server 2008 Data Centre edition.

5. Dell Poweredge 5110 take ages to boot up, and the installation of Windows Server 2008 needs many restarts. Hyper-V itself takes an age itself to install. Get a good book as you are going to be doing lots of sitting around.

On the up side, Hyper-V is a fantastic technology and I have managed to re-purpose a high spec server into 5 high spec VPSs making us thrifty in these hard economic times, and greener and friendlier to the planet by opting for virtualisation.

End of 2008 Roundup

Another year jars to a halt and without any pause for thought a new one appears.

Book of the Year
This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s the book that had the largest impact on my day to day work. Linq In Action is a great primer to get going with Linq and once you get going, it’s difficult to stop.

Non-Tech Book of the Year
The Jelly Effect by Andy Bounds which will redefine the way you present, network, sell and communicate. Highly recommended.

Album of the Year
A pretty grim year for music I thought. Highlights were Beck – Modern Guilt , Foals – Antidote and even thought it came out in late 2007, Municipal Waste’s The Art of Partying provided the cheapest of thrills this year. Hip-hop? Forget it, it’s long dead. The La’s only album also had a massive resurgence around my way and scored the most play time hands down.

Booze of the Year
A hard choice between Van WInkle 10 and Elijah Craig.

Next Year
Next year promises some very exciting projects for me, both with work and personally. I’m hoping to release quite a big open source application in the next few weeks and I have a few massive bank security two-factor authentication systems to architect and implement at Qire. We are planning some revolutionary innovations in terms of voice technology management information and visualization too. Enough to keep me off the streets anyway! Very exciting indeed!

The photo is of me and Kit on Boxing Day going for a stroll by the Mersey. She’s nearly two, endlessly entertaining and a constant source of awe and wonder.

That’s it! Have a happy new year!