Hyper-V has been around since 2008, runs Azure, runs Xbox, and still gets overlooked by shops fleeing VMware/Broadcom pricing. In this episode Andy Syrewicze and Eric Siron go back to basics: what Hyper-V actually is under the hood, why it is still worth your attention in 2026, and everything you need to know to stand it up and run your first virtual machine without losing your mind in the process.
They walk through licensing (Standard versus Data Center, OSEs, core-based math, and the very short answer: call your licensing rep), then peel back the architecture to explain why Hyper-V is a genuine Type 1 hypervisor even though it boots into Windows. From there the conversation covers hardware requirements, the virtual switch types that trip up every VMware migrant, storage options, Gen 1 versus Gen 2 VMs (short answer: go Gen 2), Integration Services, and Dynamic Memory. Checkpoints and clustering get flagged as topics that deserve their own full episodes.
In the news and nerd hour segments this week: CPU component prices climbing again with Intel and AMD reportedly raising costs by 15% or more, Microsoft announcing plans to rebuild Windows apps natively instead of relying on WebView, the MacBook Neo stirring up comparisons to the original Surface, Eric's week spent patching NetScaler appliances through a critical CVE while fighting Citrix's new licensing model, and Andy's experience standing up a Forgejo self-hosted git forge and putting Claude Code to work as a local repository agent.
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## Episode Resources
SysAdmin Weekly Website: https://www.sysadminweekly.com
SysAdmin Weekly Companion Newsletter: https://newsletter.sysadminweekly.com
Community Discussion Board: https://github.com/ProjectRunspace/sysadmin-weekly/discussions
Share Your Family/Friends IT Support Stories (community post): https://github.com/ProjectRunspace/sysadmin-weekly/discussions/15
AndyOnTech: https://www.andyontech.com
Project Runspace: https://www.projectrunspace.org
Forgejo (self-hosted git forge): https://forgejo.org
Claude Code: https://claude.ai/code
**Previous episodes referenced in this episode:**
- VMware/Broadcom coverage: https://open.spotify.com/episode/764MqlqHjNimkiAdoWNoRb?si=pLZoVGM9RCivR6iBOW7b0A
- Hyper-V management tools episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0rHwIc4U297R7I6KFayhlm?si=X_lxLkBDTuejzC_NCsoo2w
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## Chapters
02:50 - Getting Started with Hyper-V in 2026
15:25 - Nerd Hour: Personal Projects and AI Tools
27:47 - Main Segment: Hyper-V Fundamentals
29:06 - The Evolution of Hyper-V31:33 - Understanding Hyper-V Licensing
37:53 - Navigating Hyper-V Licensing Complexities
41:44 - Hyper-V Architecture Explained
56:40 - Getting Started with Hyper-V
01:03:45 - Understanding Hyper-V Networking Challenges
01:08:45 - Exploring Hyper-V Storage Options
01:13:29 - Choosing Between Generation 1 and Generation 2 VMs
01:18:34 - Key Features of Hyper-V: Integration Services and Dynamic Memory
01:20:50 - Managing Hyper-V with System Center Virtual Machine Manager
