Vista - Hyper-V resource management

12-11-2008

Recently ran into a scenario that a client over committed the
available memory in their Hyper-V environment. When a new guest was
started-up, the new guest paused (acceptable), however it also paused
ALL other guests running on the Hyper-V server (unacceptable). The
user wasn't even given a prompt/warning detailing why the server was
paused.

Is there a way to prevent all servers from being paused when there
isn't enough resources.

Ideally I would have thought that Hyper-V would be able to detect a
lack of resources and wouldn't allow a user to startup a virtual
machine without the necessary resources available.

12-12-2008

<mazdamad7@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:780558bc-b966-4d70-8e44-156842530d09@xxxxxx

Quote:

> Recently ran into a scenario that a client over committed the
> available memory in their Hyper-V environment. When a new guest was
> started-up, the new guest paused (acceptable), however it also paused
> ALL other guests running on the Hyper-V server (unacceptable). The
> user wasn't even given a prompt/warning detailing why the server was
> paused.
>
> Is there a way to prevent all servers from being paused when there
> isn't enough resources.
>
> Ideally I would have thought that Hyper-V would be able to detect a
> lack of resources and wouldn't allow a user to startup a virtual
> machine without the necessary resources available.
>

Are you sure that it was a memory problem? Hyper-V does not allow over
commit of memory. If memory is not available, the vm won't start.

Lack of disk space does cause the vms to pause. There is really no
alternative if there is nowhere for the OS in the vm(s) to write changes.

12-12-2008

I can confirm this: I've occasionally tried to start one too many VMs, and
Hyper-V just fails to start the VM that puts it over the memory limit. BUT,
when I got careless with expanding disks and watching my disk usage, I
suddenly ran out of HD space and my VMs all paused.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel

"Bill Grant" <not.available@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OVZjSqBXJHA.5476@xxxxxx

Quote:

>
>
> <mazdamad7@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:780558bc-b966-4d70-8e44-156842530d09@xxxxxx

Quote:

>> Recently ran into a scenario that a client over committed the
>> available memory in their Hyper-V environment. When a new guest was
>> started-up, the new guest paused (acceptable), however it also paused
>> ALL other guests running on the Hyper-V server (unacceptable). The
>> user wasn't even given a prompt/warning detailing why the server was
>> paused.
>>
>> Is there a way to prevent all servers from being paused when there
>> isn't enough resources.
>>
>> Ideally I would have thought that Hyper-V would be able to detect a
>> lack of resources and wouldn't allow a user to startup a virtual
>> machine without the necessary resources available.
>>

>
> Are you sure that it was a memory problem? Hyper-V does not allow over
> commit of memory. If memory is not available, the vm won't start.
>
> Lack of disk space does cause the vms to pause. There is really no
> alternative if there is nowhere for the OS in the vm(s) to write changes.

12-14-2008

> * *Are you sure that it was a memory problem? Hyper-V does not allow over

Quote:

> commit of memory. If memory is not available, the vm won't start.
>
> * *Lack of disk space does cause the vms to pause. There is really no
> alternative if there is nowhere for the OS in the vm(s) to write changes.

The only resource that was even remotely close to its limit was
Memory. 100+GB free disk space on the driver where the virtuals are
stored/running from, 20+GB free on the Windows System drive.

12-11-2008	#1 (permalink)
mazdamad7 n/a posts	Hyper-V resource management Recently ran into a scenario that a client over committed the available memory in their Hyper-V environment. When a new guest was started-up, the new guest paused (acceptable), however it also paused ALL other guests running on the Hyper-V server (unacceptable). The user wasn't even given a prompt/warning detailing why the server was paused. Is there a way to prevent all servers from being paused when there isn't enough resources. Ideally I would have thought that Hyper-V would be able to detect a lack of resources and wouldn't allow a user to startup a virtual machine without the necessary resources available.
My System Specs

12-12-2008	#2 (permalink)
Bill Grant n/a posts	Re: Hyper-V resource management <mazdamad7@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:780558bc-b966-4d70-8e44-156842530d09@xxxxxx Quote: > Recently ran into a scenario that a client over committed the > available memory in their Hyper-V environment. When a new guest was > started-up, the new guest paused (acceptable), however it also paused > ALL other guests running on the Hyper-V server (unacceptable). The > user wasn't even given a prompt/warning detailing why the server was > paused. > > Is there a way to prevent all servers from being paused when there > isn't enough resources. > > Ideally I would have thought that Hyper-V would be able to detect a > lack of resources and wouldn't allow a user to startup a virtual > machine without the necessary resources available. > Are you sure that it was a memory problem? Hyper-V does not allow over commit of memory. If memory is not available, the vm won't start. Lack of disk space does cause the vms to pause. There is really no alternative if there is nowhere for the OS in the vm(s) to write changes.
My System Specs

12-12-2008	#3 (permalink)
Charlie Russel - MVP n/a posts	Re: Hyper-V resource management I can confirm this: I've occasionally tried to start one too many VMs, and Hyper-V just fails to start the VM that puts it over the memory limit. BUT, when I got careless with expanding disks and watching my disk usage, I suddenly ran out of HD space and my VMs all paused. -- Charlie. http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64 http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel "Bill Grant" <not.available@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:OVZjSqBXJHA.5476@xxxxxx Quote: > > > <mazdamad7@xxxxxx> wrote in message > news:780558bc-b966-4d70-8e44-156842530d09@xxxxxx Quote: >> Recently ran into a scenario that a client over committed the >> available memory in their Hyper-V environment. When a new guest was >> started-up, the new guest paused (acceptable), however it also paused >> ALL other guests running on the Hyper-V server (unacceptable). The >> user wasn't even given a prompt/warning detailing why the server was >> paused. >> >> Is there a way to prevent all servers from being paused when there >> isn't enough resources. >> >> Ideally I would have thought that Hyper-V would be able to detect a >> lack of resources and wouldn't allow a user to startup a virtual >> machine without the necessary resources available. >> > > Are you sure that it was a memory problem? Hyper-V does not allow over > commit of memory. If memory is not available, the vm won't start. > > Lack of disk space does cause the vms to pause. There is really no > alternative if there is nowhere for the OS in the vm(s) to write changes.
My System Specs

12-14-2008	#4 (permalink)
mazdamad7 n/a posts	Re: Hyper-V resource management > * Are you sure that it was a memory problem? Hyper-V does not allow over Quote: > commit of memory. If memory is not available, the vm won't start. > > *Lack of disk space does cause the vms to pause. There is really no > alternative if there is nowhere for the OS in the vm(s) to write changes. The only resource that was even remotely close to its limit was Memory. 100+GB free disk space on the driver where the virtuals are stored/running from, 20+GB free on the Windows System drive.
My System Specs

Similar Threads
Thread	Forum
hyper-v: remote management	Virtual Server
Hyper-V memory management/pagefile question	Virtual Server
Hyper-V and SCVMM resource control	Virtual Server
Using Print Management with a 2003 R2 server on Hyper-V	Vista print fax & scan
Print Management - Migrate printer on a cluster resource	Vista print fax & scan