Microsoft Virtualization In Depth

Many of you have asked for yet another update on the release of the Microsoft Press Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Resource Kit that I’ve been working on along with my co-author, Robert Larson, an Architect in the Microsoft Consulting Services. I am very happy to let all of you know that Microsoft Press is putting the final touches on the book and is on track for a June 10 release! And it looks like our page count may be close to 800 pages! We were very focused (as was the case with the Virtual Server 2005 R2 Resource Kit) on making sure you got great value when you spent your hard-earned dollars buying this book, so we included a balanced mix of technical details with step-by-step procedures on how to use Hyper-V features. We also covered integration with other Microsoft applications like System Center Data Protection Manager SP1 and System Center Virtual Machine Manager. We hope we hit the target and look forward to your comments. A companion CD is included with the book and it will contain an electronic version of the book along with bonus material that includes scripts discussed in various chapters.

While you still have to wait a few more weeks before you can get your hands on an actual hardcopy of the book, Microsoft Press provided me with a near-final draft of the table of contents (no page numbers, but it is complete in terms of content), and a final draft of Chapter 2 titled “Hyper-V Overview”. I wanted to share these with you right away, so I’ve posted both files (in PDF format) on the Doing IT Virtual website. You can download them now!

In a few weeks, I will post another sample chapter, Chapter 8 titled “Moving from Virtual Server 2005 R2 to Hyper-V”, and that should tide you over until you can get your hardcopy! So make sure to check back to get your copy of the chapter. However, don’t worry, I know you are busy, so I will also post an update on this blog as soon as Chapter 8 is available for download.

If you want to be one of the first to get a hardcopy, visit your favorite online retailer to pre-order the book. Of course, both Amazon and Barnes and Noble (those I frequent the most) can take your pre-order!

If you have any questions or comments, send them to askme@doingitvirtual.com.

Another quick update on the book! All the chapters are in and we are in final edits for the last 5 or 6 chapters which will wrap up within the next week or so. The release date is slated for June, but with any luck it will be out before then. Here is the link to the book on the Microsoft Press site http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/11842.aspx. The book is available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online outlets.

It looks like the book will be around 630 pages, and we had so much content that the chapter lengths all came in above our predictions. The outline for the table of contents is similar to the Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 Resource Kit, so take a look at it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble to get an idea of how the content is structured.

If you have any questions on the Hyper-V Resource Kit, send me an email at askme@doingitvirtual.com.