Microsoft offers two powerful options for organizations running virtual workloads – Azure Hypervisor and Hyper-V. These solutions both run virtual machines. However, they have some crucial differences. This post will explore the similarities and differences between Azure Hypervisor vs. Hyper-V for beginners to help you determine the best solution for your needs.
Table of Contents
- Why choose between Azure and Hyper-V?
- What is the Microsoft Azure Hypervisor?
- What is Microsoft Hyper-V?
- Similarities between Azure Hypervisor and Hyper-V
- Differences between Azure Hypervisor and Hyper-V
- Running Azure on-premises?
- Which solution is right for your needs?
- Wrapping up
Why choose between Azure and Hyper-V?
The choice between Azure and Hyper-V may not be an either-or decision. Most organizations have adopted a hybrid stance to their modern infrastructure. It means they will run some workloads on-premises and some in the cloud. Depending on the needs and use cases, running some workloads in Azure may make much more sense than on-premises. Conversely, there may be other workloads that may be required to run on-premises for compliance reasons.
What is the Microsoft Azure Hypervisor?
Microsoft Azure is Microsoft’s cloud platform, including Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. The Azure Hypervisor is a virtualization technology that is part of the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform and is said to run on a variant of Microsoft Hyper-V. It provides a way to create and manage virtual machines in the Azure cloud, allowing companies to run workloads without the management and capital cost of infrastructure.
While it is similar to the traditional on-premises Hyper-V built-in to Windows, the Azure Hypervisor provides additional features designed specifically for the cloud environment. For example, it includes a virtual machine gallery that makes it easy to create new virtual machines and provides integration with other Azure services like Azure Active Directory and Azure Site Recovery.
What is Microsoft Hyper-V?
Microsoft Hyper-V is Microsoft’s traditional virtualization technology included in the Windows Server operating system and as a standalone product with Hyper-V Server. Hyper-V provides crucial capabilities, such as server consolidation, allowing businesses to manage many “server” instances on a single physical server.
It is a type of hypervisor known as a Type 1 hypervisor, meaning it runs directly on the physical machine’s hardware and not as an application. As a result, type 1 hypervisors perform much better than Type 2 hypervisors, which run on top of an operating system. In addition, Hyper-V offers many capabilities, including high availability, Live Migration, and dynamic memory allocation.
Similarities between Azure Hypervisor and Hyper-V
Azure Hypervisor and Hyper-V share many similarities, since Azure Hypervisor is built on top of the Hyper-V hypervisor. Here are a few of the key similarities:
- Both allow running VMs
- Both support platforms including Windows, Linux, etc
- Both have robust virtual network capabilities
- Both provide integration with other Microsoft management tools like System Center and PowerShell
Differences between Azure Hypervisor and Hyper-V
There are a few differences to note between the two. Here are a few of the key differences:
- Azure Hypervisor is cloud-based. Hyper-V is designed to run on-premises
- Azure Hypervisor provides additional features, such as a virtual machine gallery, and works with other Azure services
- Azure Hypervisor is a fully managed service, which means that Microsoft is responsible for maintaining the underlying infrastructure, including the hypervisor itself. On the other hand, Hyper-V requires businesses to manage the physical hardware on which it runs and the underlying hypervisor software, updates, lifecycle management, etc.
- Azure Hypervisor is a subscription-based service. Businesses only pay for the virtual machines they use. Hyper-V requires an upfront investment in hardware and software licensing, which can be costly
- Azure Hypervisor provides ultimate scalability, allowing businesses to add or remove virtual machines as needed quickly. However, the physical hardware on-premises limits Hyper-V
Running Azure on-premises?
Is there a way to run Azure on-premises? There is a new “mash-up” between the Azure hypervisor and Hyper-V called Azure Stack HCI. With Azure Stack HCI, you can run certified physical hardware running a special Azure HCI hypervisor and run native Azure workloads, like the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). Learn more about Azure Stack HCI and AKS here: What is on-premises Kubernetes with Azure Kubernetes Service on Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server? – AKS hybrid | Microsoft Learn
Which solution is right for your needs?
The choice between Azure Hypervisor and Hyper-V will depend on your specific needs and requirements. However, here are a few factors to consider:
- Cloud or On-Premises – Businesses going all-in on the cloud will undoubtedly steer towards running their critical virtual machines in the cloud. The Azure hypervisor is the better fit for this model. However, for companies that may be restricted by compliance requirements or that want more control over their infrastructure, running your VMs on-premises in Hyper-V is preferred
- Feature comparison – With the Azure Hypervisor, you get additional benefits and capabilities, such as the virtual machine gallery and integration with other Azure services. If bleeding-edge features are essential to you, Azure Hypervisor may be the better choice. However, for many, the capabilities offered by on-premises Hyper-V are enough
- Management features– Microsoft fully manages azure hypervisor and the underlying infrastructure. It is the best approach for businesses who want to leave managing the hardware and updates to Microsoft. For complete control over their hardware, Hyper-V is the better choice
- Cost analysis – Azure Hypervisor is subscription-based, meaning businesses only pay for the virtual machines they use. It can be a cost-effective solution for businesses whose workloads may be unpredictable or who want to eliminate the capital investment in hardware. On the other hand, Hyper-V requires an upfront investment in hardware and licensing, which can be expensive
- Scalability – The Azure hypervisor is infinitely scalable, allowing businesses to add or remove virtual machines as needed quickly. It can be advantageous for “bursty” workloads and quickly scaling up and back down. However, Hyper-V is limited by the physical hardware on which it runs. It means businesses will need to scale up by buying additional hardware
Wrapping up
Both Azure and Microsoft Hyper-V are robust platforms for running critical VMs. They offer capabilities and features that provide companies with many options. Choosing between the two comes down to running workloads in the cloud or on-premises.
Azure is a subscription service, running virtual machines in the cloud. As a result, Azure may be better suited for cloud-native workloads. It is also appealing to companies who want to move to an operational expense model compared to a capital expense. However, on-premises Hyper-V is an excellent option for companies needing complete control over their infrastructure or under strict compliance requirements.
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Read More:
Beginners’ Guide for Microsoft Hyper-V: Hyper-V AVHDX Files – Part-56
How to Migrate VMware & Hyper-V VMs to Azure using BDRSuite
Difference between VMware and Hyper-V: A Complete guide
Installing Hyper-V in Azure Nested Virtualization
Beginners’ Guide for Microsoft Hyper-V: Hyper-V vs VirtualBox Virtualization – Part 63
VMware vs KVM: A 5-Point Analysis
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