AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure Exam

Manage Hyper-V and guest virtual machines

Hyper-V is a type 1 hypervisor that lets you run multiple virtual machines on a single physical server. It provides hardware-level isolation so each virtual machine (VM) acts like a standalone computer. You can use the Hyper-V Manager GUI or PowerShell commands to control your hosts and VMs. Understanding the basics of Hyper-V helps you deliver flexible server environments.

To set up Hyper-V, you install the Hyper-V role on Windows Server and configure virtual switches for networking. You can create internal, external, or private switches depending on your needs. Use PowerShell cmdlets like New-VMSwitch or the Hyper-V Manager wizard to define your networks. Ensuring proper network setup is crucial for VM communication.

When creating a guest VM, you allocate CPU cores, memory, and disk space based on workload requirements. You can also enable features such as Dynamic Memory and Resource Metering to optimize performance. Common VM management tasks include:

• Taking checkpoints for quick rollback
• Configuring Integration Services for better guest-host interaction
• Adjusting virtual hardware settings

Ongoing maintenance involves monitoring VM health and performing operations like Live Migration, Storage Migration, and Replication. You can use Hyper-V Replica to replicate VMs between hosts for disaster recovery. Regular backups and performance checks ensure your virtual environment stays reliable.

Create and manage containers

Containers are a lightweight way to package applications with their dependencies in a portable format. A container shares the host OS kernel, making it more resource-efficient than a full VM. On Windows Server, you can run Windows Server containers and Hyper-V isolation containers side by side. This flexibility lets you pick the isolation level that suits your security and performance needs.

Building a container starts with a Dockerfile, where you specify a base image, application files, and commands to run. Use the docker build command to create an image, then push it to a registry. Key steps include:

• Writing a Dockerfile with FROM, RUN, and COPY instructions
• Building the image with docker build
• Pushing to Azure Container Registry or Docker Hub

Running containers is simple with the Docker CLI. You can start, stop, and remove containers using commands like docker run, docker stop, and docker rm. You can also set resource limits, mount volumes, and define custom networks to control performance and persistence.

For large-scale deployments, you can use Docker Compose or integrate with Kubernetes and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). These tools help you manage multiple containers, handle load balancing, and automate updates. Monitoring tools such as Azure Monitor for containers provide insights into container health and resource usage.

Manage Windows Server virtual machines on Azure

Azure provides virtual machines as part of its Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offerings. You can choose from many VM sizes and OS images, including Windows Server, to match your workload. Azure VMs run on the Microsoft global network of data centers, giving you scalability and global reach.

Deploying a VM in Azure can be done via the Azure portal, Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, or ARM templates. Each method lets you specify the VM size, disk type, networking, and security settings. Common deployment approaches include:

• Azure portal for a guided experience
• CLI or PowerShell for scripting and automation
• ARM templates for repeatable infrastructure as code

After deployment, manage your VM’s storage by attaching managed disks, creating snapshots, or using Azure Backup for scheduled backups. To achieve high availability, you can place VMs in Availability Sets or Availability Zones. For large applications, consider Virtual Machine Scale Sets to automatically add or remove instances based on demand.

Networking and security are handled with Virtual Networks (VNets), Network Security Groups (NSGs), and Azure Firewall or Azure Bastion for secure access. Use Azure Monitor and Log Analytics to track VM performance, set up alerts, and troubleshoot issues. These features help keep your cloud VMs both secure and visible.

Conclusion

In this section, you learned how Hyper-V enables on-premises virtualization by creating and managing guest VMs with features like dynamic memory, checkpoints, and live migration. Proper setup and ongoing maintenance are key to a stable virtual environment.

You also explored how containers offer a lightweight alternative, using Dockerfiles and orchestration tools such as Docker Compose and AKS to run applications in isolated, portable units. This approach improves resource utilization and simplifies deployment.

Finally, you reviewed how to provision and manage Windows Server VMs in Azure, covering deployment methods, storage options, high availability, and network security. Understanding these concepts helps you build hybrid infrastructures that combine on-premises and cloud resources effectively.