We’ve got Microsoft MVP Eric Siron for a conversation about the end of Hyper-V Server (the free SKU of Hyper-V). Again, to confirm, we’re talking about the free SKU of Hyper-V. The normal paid SKUs - the well-known role within Windows Server - will be remaining.

This announcement came abruptly and was something of a shock to many people. Hyper-V server was the primary test/dev hypervisor for many organizations, not to mention it was great for licensing in VDI scenarios. News of its untimely demise has created some angst in the community. Many IT Pros see this move by Microsoft as a way to takeaway a great free tool and use the situation to start pushing Azure Stack HCI, which many organizations are not ready to adopt at this time.

The good news is that Hyper-V Server 2019 is going to continue to be supported until its extended support lifecycle runs out in 2029. This means that many organizations will have plenty of time to migrate to an alternative.

What do you think? Is this change going to be impactful for you? Let us know!

In this episode on free Hyper-V:

• What is Hyper-V Server? - 2:10
• Is Hyper-V Server being discontinued? - 11:04
• Where do Hyper-V Server users go from here? - 18:15
• What are some alternatives to Hyper-V Server? - 21:49

Resources for Hyper-V Server:

• Hyper-V Server on the DOJO
• Azure Stack HCI on the DOJO
• ESXi Hypervisor on the DOJO
• Link to Communities Thread discussing Hyper-V Server’s discontinuation
• Hyper-V Server Lifecycle
• Episode with Ben Armstrong on Hyper-V Server
• Episode with Ben Armstrong on AKS on Azure Stack HCI
• Client Hyper-V vs. Virtualbox - Which is Best for You?
• Azure Stack HCI Webinar on the DOJO

For more on this episode on free Hyper-V >