I recently took a full day Windows Server 2012 course and I prep’d for it by installing the Beta and making the following list of questions, which Microsoft staff answered at various points during the day:
Q: Can HyperV live migrate without System Center 2012 A: Yes, just right click on the VM and move it! .
Q: Are there any notable changes to Distributed File System (DFS) A: No .
Q: Is Direct Access (Microsofts automatic VPN technology) simplified under Windows Server 2012 A: Yes, Dramatically. An internal Certificate Authority (CA) is no longer required which makes the setup sooooo much easier. .
Q: Are there any notable changes to iSCSI A: No .
Q: Is Security Essentials AntiVirus (now integrated into Windows Defender in Windows 8 ) , also part of Windows Server 2012 A: No, there is no antivirus or antimalware code in Server 2012 .
Q: Are there any notable changes to the Windows Firewall A: No .
Q: Do Hyper-V snapshots really no longer need to have the Virtual Machine (VM) in question, shut down to merge or delete the old SnapShots? A: Yes, you can delete and merge snapshots on the fly now .
Q: Are the any notable changes to Windows Deployment Services (WDS) A: No .
Q: Can Server 2012 HyperV see USB devices, like external disks? A: Yes (and a big freakin’ ya for the that!). Since SP1 for Windows Server 2008 R2, this has been possible .
Q: Can Hyper-V use Teamed Network Cards A: Yes, and now that is support right in the Operating system. The NIC’s do not even have to be the same brand or even the same speed!!! .
Q: Are the any notable changes to NTFS A: No .
Q: What is “Cluster Aware Updating” A: It is UNRELATED to Hyper-V. If you have two (or more) PHYSICAL Server 2012’s in a cluster, you can right click on them one at a time and select PATCH. This will keep the servers up and running to the clients when in fact one of the cluster is offline and being patched .