Managing VMM 2008 Library Servers

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The Virtual machine Manager Library is a repository used to store a variety of virtual machine resources such as virtual hard disk and CD/DVD ISO images, virtual machine templates, stored virtual machines, virtual floppy disks and hardware, guest operating system profiles and Sysprep answer files. The primary purpose of the library is to promote re-use of information and objects in the creation and configuration of virtual machines deployed within the Virtual Machine Manager infrastructure.

A VMM Library consists of resources stored in a network share folder on the VMM Library Server system combined with information cataloged in the SQL Server database associated with the VMM 2008 installation. By default, the VMM Library shre folder is located in %SystemRoot\ProgramData\Virtual Machine Library Files and shared under the name MSSCVMMLibrary.

A VMM 2008 configuration can have multiple VMM Library Servers configured. The Library Server is commonly installed on the same system as the VMM Server, although for larger mission critical configurations, it is recommended that the VMM Library Server be deployed on a failover cluster.

Adding New Library Servers

When the VMM Server component is installed, the default VMM Library Server is also installed. Once this default library has been installed it cannot be removed or relocated to another server. It is, however, possible to configure VMm library Servers on other systems. This is achieved from within the VMM Administrator Console (for information on installing and launching the console read the chapter entitled A Guided Tour of the VMM Administrator Console).

New VMM Library Servers are added by clicking on the Add library server link located in the VMM Administrator Console Actions pane located on the right hand side of the console window. This selection will launch the Add Library Server wizard. The Enter Credentials screen requires the user name and password for a valid administrator on the specified domain.

Once a valid account has been specified, the Next button displays the Select Library Servers screen where one or more servers may be designated as VMM Library Servers (see figure below). Enter the name of the server in the Computer Name field and click Add to add the server to the list, or use the Search button to search for servers by domain and virtualization type.


Selecting new VMM Library Servers


Once one or more systems have been selected as library servers, click Next to configure the network shares to be used to store the library files. During the preparation of this book, problems were encountered in adding shares during the library server creation process. If you encounter similar problems, shares may be added after the library server has been added by following the steps outlined in the section entitled Adding Shares to a Library Server.

Once the library server configuration is completed, the new library will appear in Library Resources pane in the top left hand corner of the VMM Administrator Console:


The VMM Library Resources pane displaying new library server


Adding Shares to a Library Server

VMm Libraries store files in network share folders. Additional shares may be added to a library using the VMM Administrator Console. Before the shares can be added, however, they must first be created on the VMM Library Server host. To do this , enable network sharing and discovery in the system hosting the library, create the folders which are to be shared and then share them by right clicking on the folders, selecting Properties and choosing the Share tab. More details on how to share folders on Windows Server 2008 can be found in the Configuring Windows Server 2008 File Sharing chapter of the Windows Server 2008 Essentials online book.