What is a VMM? The Ultimate Guide to Virtual Machine Monitors (Everything You Need to Know)

A virtual machine monitor (VMM), also known as a "hypervisor," is a hardware virtualization technology that enables you to run multiple operating systems on a host computer. In other words, it manages virtual environments through a centralized interface, providing the capability to install and configure multiple virtual machines.

A hypervisor provides a platform for virtual operating systems and manages the execution of different operating systems primarily on server hardware. The Microsoft VMM also supports ESXi and vCenter, enabling you to manage your entire virtual infrastructure from a single console.

What is a VMM?

VMM stands for Virtual Machine Manager, which is part of the Microsoft System Center suite used for deploying and managing traditional data centers. VMM helps you provide a unified management console that's easy to use and enhances the performance of all your service providers and Azure cloud environments.

How Does a VMM Work?

The VMM provides a console with an overview of all virtual machines in the network, for centralized management. You can modify the underlying network/storage at will, and run various commands.

These commands help you create new VMs, move them from one server to another, modify the underlying network, add resources, and ensure that your VMs run smoothly and without error.

What is a VMM and what is it used for?

A VMM can be used for several purposes:

Data center: Control, manage, and configure a data center as a single entity in the VMM. Components of a data center include virtualization servers, networks, and storage arrays. The VMM provides resources for creating and deploying VMs to your private cloud network. Learn more about data centers.

2. Virtual machine hosts: VMM also helps you create and manage VMware and Hyper-V virtual machine hosts and computers. Learn more about virtualization here.

3. Networks: The VMM helps you create network virtualization, including support for network gateways. Through a gateway on a virtual network, you can connect to a physical network. You can add network resources defined by IP subnets, virtual Local Area Networks (LANs), and static IP addresses.

4. Storage: A VMM helps you allocate, classify, and provision both remote and local storage servers. It also supports block storage, such as Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and Storage Area Networks (SAN).

5. Library Resources: A VMM architecture also has file-based and non-file-based libraries. These resources are used to deploy and manage VMs on the host device.

How do I install and uninstall VMM on Windows with utf-8 encoding?

Installing and uninstalling VMM on Windows can be a bit tricky, but if you follow our guide, you should be able to get it set up on your computer without any issues.

Before you begin the installation process, make sure that you meet the system requirements. You can find them here. Also, you must have local administrator permissions on the computer, and the service account should have administrator permissions on the VMM server.

How do I install the VMM?

Here's how to install the VMM on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Close all running background tasks and make sure your computer is up to date.

Step 2: Right-click Setup.exe, and then click Run as administrator to start the Virtual Machine Manager installer.

Right-click and select Properties.

Step 3: Click Install, select the VMM Management Server check box, and then click Next.

Step 4: The VMM console should be installed.

Note: If you install VMM on a cluster node, you will see an option to make the management server highly available.

Step 5: Go to the product registration page and provide the requested information.

Note: If you do not enter a product key, VMM will expire after 180 days, and you will not be able to use it.

Step 6: Review the license agreement, and check all three boxes. Be sure to review Microsoft's data-collection policies as well.

Click on “I Accept the Agreement”

Step 7: Accept the default VMM program files location, and click Next.

Use the default path, and click “Next.”

Note: If your computer does not meet the requirements, a window will appear with the requirements listed.

Step 8: If you are installing the VMM server on the computer that has SQL Server, type the name of that computer in the Server name box, or type localhost. However, if SQL Server is clustered, type the name of the cluster.

Note: If you do not have SQL Server running on your computer, you do not need to specify a Port value.

Step 9: Specify the account that the VMM will use. This account cannot be changed after installation.

Step 10: Choose whether to store the encryption key in Active Directory.

Step 11: Fill in the port and library settings with the defaults.

Note: You can also add library shares and servers after installation using the console or command shell.

Step 12: Finally, review your choices and click on the “Install” button to let the installer do its magic. When it's done, click on “Close” to finish the installation.

How do I uninstall VMM?

To uninstall VMM from your computer, follow these steps:

Step 1: Close the VMM console and command prompt windows.

Step 2: Go to the "Control Panel" and click on "Uninstall a program."

Step 3: Next, double-click on the “Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager” option and click on “Remove features.”

Step 4: Select the Check box for VMM Management Server and Console, and then click Next.

Step 5: Now remove the VMM database and database credentials, and then click Uninstall.

Step 6: Finally, uninstall the VMM.

Note: After you uninstall the VMM, the following items remain:

• Remote file server management
• Firewall rules for storage management based on Windows standards