Microsoft boosts its virtualisation credentials with new service pack

Microsoft releases combo service pack 1 for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 systems

Microsoft today released the first service packs (SP1) for its flagship server and desktop operating systems, Windows Server 2008 R2 (WS 2008 R2) and Windows 7.

In the continuing battle for mastery of the desktop virtualisation market, SP1's main feature on the server side is RemoteFX, which is software targeting firms wishing to improve consolidation of Windows 7 desktop systems when moving to virtualised desktop infrastructure (VDI).

RemoteFX improves network bandwidth and processing requirements for VDI, allowing firms to run more virtualised desktop systems on their WS 2008 R2 installations.

To do this, virtualised Windows 7 desktops need to have SP1 for Windows 7 systems applied to them, and also have powerful GPU processors installed on the server, like for example nVidia GeForce or Quadro graphics.

Microsoft said, "WS 2008 R2 and Windows 7 SP1 is a combined service pack for both OSes in a single installer. Windows 7 SP1 includes minor updates, as well as client-side support for two new virtualisation features enabled in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory."

The service pack will be generally available on 22 February.

In a recent LiveMeeting presentation attended by Computing, the company illustrated results from Microsoft test labs claiming a 40 per cent increase in the number of virtual machines (VMs) that could run with the new service pack applied to a WS 2008 R2 install.

As well as being able to run more virtual desktop VMs, RemoteFX will do so with better graphics capabilities than currently experienced by users without SP1 installed.

Senior technical product manager for Windows Server Michael Kleef is promising "a next generation user experience".

The other featured touted by Microsoft as a possible driver for firms to consider running Hyper-V over its competitors is dynamic memory.

This feature allocates VM memory automatically, but can prioritise when to remove that memory, for example, if other VMs are low on resources but are higher priority in the VM hierarchy.