Hyper-V Beta now available for download!

Go and get it while it's hot:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8F22F69E-D1AF-49F0-8236-2B742B354919&displaylang=en

This is Windows Server 2008 RC1 with the Hyper-V Beta components. 

Lots of changes since the preview, huge improvements in performance, stability and compatibility as well as:

1. Support for installing Hyper-V on Windows Server core.
2. Support for clustering of Hyper-V.
3. Support for VSS backup of Hyper-V.
4. Integration Services are now part of Windows Server 2008 (which means that if you use the CD image of this beta to install Windows Server 2008 inside a virtual machine - Integration Services will automatically be there with no need for you to perform extra steps).

I will post detailed installation instructions soon - but two pointers to get you started:

1. There are no .MSUs anymore.  Just install Windows, select to install a new server role, and select 'Hyper-V'.
2. You need to install using 'English (United States)'.  If you install with any other language (or flavor of English) Hyper-V will not work.  However - you can change the local / keyboard preferences for your user after installation without any problems.

Cheers,
Ben