As someone who has used Linux systems for over 15 years alongside Windows, the ability to virtualize and intermix environments has been transformational for broadening my technology capabilities. The advances Microsoft has made in embracing Linux and open source software through Hyper-V virtualization has unlocked excellent new possibilities for tech professionals and enthusiasts alike.
In this post, we‘ll explore the process of configuring Hyper-V on Windows 10 and deploying virtualized Ubuntu Linux VMs for accessing the best of both operating systems.
The Growth of Virtualization and Linux Adoption
First, some background that traces the exciting path of technologies bringing us to where we are today. Hypervisor-based virtualization has radically matured over the past decade. Major vendors like VMware, Microsoft, and Oracle have turned virtual infrastructure into reliable, high-performance datacenter foundations. Features like live migration, software-defined networking, and distributed resource scheduling have made virtualization indispensable for cloud hosting.
And during this same period, Linux has cemented itself as the dominant operating system among public cloud workloads, web servers, embedded devices, and smartphones. The Linux kernel powers many of the internet‘s most trafficked sites. Its Apache web server market share clocks in at over 35%. Over 90% of supercomputers also leverage Linux. Android and ChromeOS have made Linux the OS experience for billions of everyday users.
Yet through the 1990s and 2000s, Windows and Linux users remained walled off from easily interoperating. Virtualization – particularly since Hyper-V‘s Windows 8 debut – has erased these long standing barriers. Microsoft contributes extensive developer time toward improving Linux compatibility today.
With Windows 10 and Hyper-V, you can develop applications leveraging diverse libraries across environments. Spin up sandboxed testing platforms. And unlock the flexibility that comes from bridging between Windows user-friendliness and Linux customizability.
So whether you‘re an IT operator, coder, maker, gamer or just love trying new technologies – having Ubuntu VMs at your Windows fingertips amplifies possibilities tremendously.
Next we‘ll cover what‘s needed to enable Hyper-V and create these virtualized environments.
Prerequisites for Virtualization Performance
To use Hyper-V for VM configuration, your hardware and firmware settings must provide full support for virtualization…
