Memory hook: Guest, host and platform are separate layers.
Must remember
- Hyper-V virtual switches can be external, internal or private. VM NIC settings, host adapters and supported teaming affect different traffic paths; verify management connectivity before changing host networking.
- Configure memory, virtual disks, integration services and device assignment to match the workload. GPU partitioning and discrete device assignment have different hardware/support requirements.
- PowerShell Direct manages supported Windows guests through the host without ordinary guest network connectivity; SSH Direct serves supported Linux scenarios. Enhanced Session Mode improves supported interactive access.
- Checkpoints preserve VM state for supported purposes; production and standard checkpoints differ. They do not replace independent backups. Hyper-V Replica supplies asynchronous replication, while failover clustering addresses host-level availability.
- Nested virtualization requires supported host/VM settings and capacity. Additional virtualization layers can affect performance and network design.
- Azure VMs need appropriate disks, NICs, availability sets/zones, resizing and scale-set design. Bastion/JIT secure management entry; the Windows guest still needs patching, identity, backup and monitoring.
Choose under exam pressure
| Requirement | Choice and reason |
|---|---|
| Manage a Windows guest with broken networking from its host | PowerShell Direct when prerequisites are met. |
| Protect against Hyper-V host failure | A supported failover-cluster design, with storage and quorum requirements. |
Traps
- A checkpoint stored with the VM is not an independent disaster-recovery backup.
- Placing a VM in a zone does not create another running copy in a second zone.
Active recall
1. What is an external virtual switch?
A switch connecting VMs to a physical host network adapter/network.
2. How does Replica differ from clustering?
Replica copies VM changes asynchronously; clustering coordinates availability across hosts.
3. Why distinguish memory settings?
Static/dynamic allocation and workload requirements affect capacity and stability.
4. What must be checked before resizing an Azure VM?
Supported size, capacity, disk/NIC limits, availability and possible restart impact.
5. What can device passthrough change?
Hardware access, mobility and support constraints for the VM.