SmartOS vs Microsoft Hyper-V Server

Struggling to choose between SmartOS and Microsoft Hyper-V Server? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

SmartOS is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like virtualization, cloud-computing, open-source.

It boasts features such as Built on Illumos kernel for improved security, ZFS filesystem for efficient storage and snapshots, KVM hypervisor for hardware-accelerated virtualization, Crossbow virtual network virtualization, DTrace for system observability and troubleshooting, Zones for OS-level virtualization and isolation and pros including High performance and efficiency, Advanced storage features with ZFS, Strong security model, Flexible virtualization options, DTrace debugging capabilities, Open source model allows customization.

On the other hand, Microsoft Hyper-V Server is a System & Hardware product tagged with hypervisor, virtualization, virtual-machines.

Its standout features include Hypervisor-based virtualization, Live Migration, Dynamic Memory, RemoteFX, Storage Spaces Direct, Shielded VMs, Storage Replica, Storage QoS, and it shines with pros like Free and standalone product, Small footprint, Built on Windows Server, Integrates with System Center and Microsoft Azure, Supports Windows and Linux VMs.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

SmartOS

SmartOS

SmartOS is an open-source operating system designed for cloud computing environments. It is built on top of the Illumos kernel, a derivative of Solaris, and enhances security, virtualization, storage, and networking features.

Categories:
virtualization cloud-computing open-source

SmartOS Features

  1. Built on Illumos kernel for improved security
  2. ZFS filesystem for efficient storage and snapshots
  3. KVM hypervisor for hardware-accelerated virtualization
  4. Crossbow virtual network virtualization
  5. DTrace for system observability and troubleshooting
  6. Zones for OS-level virtualization and isolation

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

High performance and efficiency

Advanced storage features with ZFS

Strong security model

Flexible virtualization options

DTrace debugging capabilities

Open source model allows customization

Cons

Limited hardware support compared to major OSes

Smaller user and developer community

Not as feature-rich as proprietary cloud OSes

Steep learning curve for some advanced features


Microsoft Hyper-V Server

Microsoft Hyper-V Server

Microsoft Hyper-V Server is a free, standalone product that provides a hypervisor-based virtualization platform for running virtual machines on x64 Windows servers. It has a small footprint and basic management tools.

Categories:
hypervisor virtualization virtual-machines

Microsoft Hyper-V Server Features

  1. Hypervisor-based virtualization
  2. Live Migration
  3. Dynamic Memory
  4. RemoteFX
  5. Storage Spaces Direct
  6. Shielded VMs
  7. Storage Replica
  8. Storage QoS

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Free and standalone product

Small footprint

Built on Windows Server

Integrates with System Center and Microsoft Azure

Supports Windows and Linux VMs

Cons

Limited management tools

No live storage migration

No dynamic resizing of VHDX

Limited to 64 logical processors