Microsoft has dubbed Server 2012 a true "Cloud OS", and the enhancements to Hyper-V included in this release certainly give that claim credence.  One of these new features is the ability to run Hyper-V workloads on SMB file-based storage.  More specifically, using the SMB 3 protocol released with Server 2012 (and soon available on other NAS appliances from leading vendors).  The ability to use file storage provides a good option for administrators looking to deploy the virtualization platform without the added complexity of managing a traditional storage array.

SMB 3 brings features such as "Multichannel", out-of-the-box network teaming and failover, without needing additional configuration on networking devices.

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