Windows Hyper V Manager - extra SSD like ESXI?
Posted by Qwefgo@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 33 comments
Hello,
some time ago i install an esxi server with serveral virtual servers. everything runs smooth until now. best practive was to install the hyper visor esxi on an extra ssd or an other flash drive.
now i have to setup an windows hyper v manager with 3 virtual machines, should i install the main hyper v manager on an extra ssd?
thanks
talibsituation@reddit
For three virtual machines unless you are doing some crazy storage or clustering I would just set up a single array and install everything on it.
Sudden_Office8710@reddit
Yeah really my ESXi hosts run 100s of VMs not 3
Qwefgo@reddit (OP)
I love esxi but with broadcom it died :-(
RickyRat5005@reddit
Have you looked at Proxmox instead?
Qwefgo@reddit (OP)
yes, i use proxmox at work.
but for windows only most people prefer windows hyper-v.
i do not want to install any other os than windows.
Nonaveragemonkey@reddit
No clue why you're down voted, it's a better choice than hyperv honestly.
RickyRat5005@reddit
Very much so. Who knows. Only trying to help.
CeC-P@reddit
Technically, no. You should install it on two mirrored (RAID0) SSDs.
Qwefgo@reddit (OP)
I am currently installing the system for testing purposes.
At the moment, I don’t plan to use a hardware RAID only Windows software RAID.
Is that still possible?
CeC-P@reddit
You'd have to be running windows to set up a software RAID in Windows so you can't install Windows on it until it's already there, creating an order or operations problem. For a test environment, I'd just throw the host OS on one single drive. If you were running Windows already, then were going to virtualized another Windows install that will host the Hyper-V Host, that's a terrible idea and could theoretically cause massive overhead and lag. Never tried it though myself.
But if you're using a software RAID to throw the VMs on, that'd work, but might create some unusual overhead. Not sure how efficient the Windows software RAID is. Probably nothing the system can't handle though.
Qwefgo@reddit (OP)
Hello,
I’ve read a lot of threads and opinions on this topic. Most people argue that it’s better to use software RAID, since many inexpensive hardware RAID controllers aren’t necessarily any better.
My idea was:
- Windows Server 2025 with hyper v manager on the single ssd
- Installing all VMs (including the guest OS virtual hard disk files and configuration) on the mirrored D: drive in Windows Hyper-V Manager.
Ok_SysAdmin@reddit
Raid 1 is a mirror.
CeC-P@reddit
Oops lol.
Nonaveragemonkey@reddit
Technically, you should never install hyperv.
siedenburg2@reddit
The main Hyper-V host is a windows os, so you should try to install it not on one ssd but in at least a small raid. If you got a dell server it's easiest with a boss card, with hp it's the ns204
Qwefgo@reddit (OP)
Can I install the windows with hyper-v manager on a Windows software RAID?
Why not install it on a single SSD instead? If that SSD fails, it wouldn’t be a major issue, the VMs would still be on the mirrored disks. The only downside would be the effort required to reinstall the OS and get Hyper-V running again.
stiffgerman@reddit
Even if you don't have hardware RAID, you can set up software RAID using Windows native tools. A two-disk RAID1 setup is simple to configure in Disk Manager. Use enterprise-class SSDs.
N0bleC@reddit
Yes, absolutely.
Just fyi, installing esxi on a flash drive is not recommended anymore. (Because log creation etc will wear the drive out very fast
Stonewalled9999@reddit
You can direct the logs to NFS or VMFS data store. I have a lot of servers with a 16 USB flash drive for the boot volume
ExceptionEX@reddit
outside of cost, given the reduced reliability and slower speeds of USB based drives why would you do this? Like homelab stuff or are you doing this in production?
Stonewalled9999@reddit
ESX doesn't need much, gets booted 4times a year. Are you aware of what a diskless server is? That are operational gains from not having boot disks (SATA/NVME) in servers)
ExceptionEX@reddit
I am aware, I suppose is where your balancing factors are, sure you are only reading the OS into ram, but doing so at USB speed, and putting that whole node at mercy of a thumb drive seems like a costly trade off. But if you aren't worried about the boot time and have everything in failover than it would make sense. Just seems that doing PXE on diskless makes more sense, but to each their own.
Sudden_Office8710@reddit
Me too it’s a good idea to replace them every 5 years I’ve been running some for 14 😆 but we are in the process of dumping VMware so I’m leaving them be.
FRSBRZGT86FAN@reddit
When we switched from SD cards and flash drives to SSD local for boot we noticed the boot time dropped considerably and had much faster upgrades. I would swap those to any disk SSD or otherwise if you can.
Our gen11s I even ordered with dual nvme boot drives two years ago 😂
Liquidfoxx22@reddit
SSD/NVMe is all flash storage, that's fine. It's an SD card which is not recommended anymore.
fusiturns@reddit
Is it beneficial if a hyper v host is installed on fast ssd sas or nvme drives in raid 1 or can sata ssd drives in raid 1 are ok and then use the nvme and sas drives for the vhdx files
st1ngrayy@reddit
Hyper-V is a Windows Service and will be installed on the same partition as the OS.
After the fact, however, you can edit the Hyper-V settings and point it to another location to save VM files, Virtual Disks, or both.
WheresMyBrakes@reddit
There used to be an edition of Windows which was a standalone Hyper-V install.
dustojnikhummer@reddit
That was just Windows with the HyperV role installed and licensed differently.
BlackV@reddit
It was still windows and still a service on windows, regardless of being "dedicated" hyper v
WheresMyBrakes@reddit
Sure, but their reply sounded like they were just talking about the Hyper-V feature you can add to a Windows Server install.
jspears357@reddit
2019 was the last hyperv edition, at least the last free one which is why I am using it
Slight-Blackberry813@reddit
What makes you think it would be any different?