We have just released the beta of the next version of the Linux integration services.  This release brings some much wanted and requested new functionality to our Linux support on Hyper-V.  Specifically it brings:

• Support for running Linux with up to 4 vCPUs per virtual machine.
• A time synchronization component to provide the same time synchronization functionality that we have for Windows virtual machines.
• A shutdown integration components so that Linux virtual machines can be shutdown directly from the Hyper-V user interface / WMI interfaces

This release is currently available on Connect (http://connect.microsoft.com) under the “Linux Integration Services for Microsoft Hyper-V” connection (which you can go and sign up for right now).

This release is supported on all versions of Hyper-V out there – namely:

• Hyper-V on Windows Server® 2008 Standard, Windows Server® 2008 Enterprise, and Windows Server® 2008 Datacenter (64-bit versions only)
• Microsoft® Hyper-V Server 2008
• Hyper-V on Windows® Server 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter
• Microsoft® Hyper-V Server 2008 R2

It is officially supported for the following versions of Linux:

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP3 x86 and x64
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 will no longer be supported by Novell as of April 12, 2010. Novell recommends that users migrate to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP3.
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 x86 and x64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4 x86 and x64

This new functionality will also be submitted shortly to the Linux kernel – so that it should hopefully appear in your favorite Linux distribution soon.

Cheers,
Ben