Currently I am exploring whether to continue to use the free vSphere 5.x software that VMWare permits to used at no cost, or if I should switch over to the free Hyper-V 2012 from Microsoft.
vSphere includes a free management client that can be installed on any version of Windows to manage the hypervisor.
(Wow, how does VMWare do it? Apparently Microsoft needs to ask VMWare for help on writing remote server management software?)
,
It appears that the free Hyper-V / Server Core 2012 can ONLY be managed using RSAT on Windows 8 or RSAT on Server 2012.
We have no Windows 8 or Server 2012, and have no intention of using them. We will continue with Windows 7 until end of life, which is still at least 8 years away.
------
So, what options are available to manage the free Hyper-V at no cost, if the 2012 RSAT for it cannot be run on Windows 7?
It looks like the most direct route, is to repeatedly install Server 2012 in trial mode on a spare desktop PC, and every six months, have it leave the domain, format the OS hard drive, reinstall Server 2012, rejoin the domain, and continue remotely managing
the free Hyper-V.
Also it may be worth exploring exactly what happens to Server 2012 in trial mode if it is never activated. Nothing on the trial Server 2012 would be used for anything except RSAT, so even if it went into "reduced functionality" and reboots itself every 24
hours.... all the affected services would not matter anyway. All that is needed is RSAT for the remote free Hyper-V server.
,
(Or, maybe Microsoft could make this process a little less obtuse, and um, allow the 2012 RSAT to run on Windows 7? Nah, that's a ludicrous concept.)