Base Windows virtualization requirements

This has been announced before - but I get asked about it a fair bit - so I thought I would take the time to mention it explicitly. One of the key requirements for Windows virtualization (the new virtualization technology being provided by Microsoft as part of the Longhorn Server wave) is that we will be requiring the presence of an Intel EMT64 processor with VT support or an AMD64 processor with (codename) Pacifica support. We will not be supporting 32bit only processors, or processors without hardware virtualization support. So if you are buying new server hardware with the thought to run Windows virtualization technology on it when it is released - please make sure that the processors meet this base functionality.

Cheers,
Ben

Comments

• Anonymous
  February 15, 2006
  Longhorn server wave ... so VT support won't appear in Virtual Server before then?
• Anonymous
  February 15, 2006
  Yes - VT support will appear in Virtual Server prior to then (this has already been announced).  However Virtual Server will run on 32 & 64 bit systems with and without hardware virtualization support - where as Windows virtualization technology will only run on a 64bit computer with hardware virtualization support.
  
  Cheers,
  Ben
• Anonymous
  February 15, 2006
  Perhaps you could share a reference site that lists all Intel and AMD processors currently available with VT support?