Re: SBS on Virtual PC?

From: David Copeland [MSFT] (davidcop_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 10/23/04 

Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 00:16:21 -0500

True, and depending on how fast of a machine/drives and ram and/or number
of machines you have licensed for Virtual PC/Virtual Server and the guest
OS'es you have the ability to create all kinds of environments.

Something to keep in mind Virtual Server is the one that SBS would really be
supported in.. even though it may run fine in VPC. (see below)

Attilla, you mentioned that seems like it might be easier with just having
another machine.. sometimes that may be true.. but depending on what you're
testing/doing.. it sure comes in handy sometimes to be able to simply turn
off the virtual machine and selecting the option to discard the changes..
and then simply boot the virtual machine back up for the occassional oops!
:) as opposed to manually undoing/re-installing/restoring..

You will have to keep in mind that if you do configure a client virtual
machine and an SBS server with ISA behind another ISA server that you may
need to do additional configurations on the virtualized SBS to do upstream
routing through the other ISA server or at least be aware that if something
isn't working from the virtual pc client that it could be the other ISA
server blocking it. (or depending on your networking config you could have
it connected directly to the external world).. Be sure that you keep any
virtual machines up to date with service packs, security updates, and
anti-virus updates, etc. as if it were another real machine too.

Also, with a real machine can you write a script to configure it.. ;)

Script Repository: Virtual Server
      Sample scripts for managing Microsoft Virtual Server.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/vs/default.mspx

TechNet Webcast: Virtual Server 2005 COM API: Automating Your Virtual
World-Level 300
http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032259266&Culture=en-US

Couple of other tips with virtual machines..
1) Lot cheaper way to learn about things like software mirring, stripe sets
etc.. than having to buy enough actual hardware to do it.
2) Good way to learn/test things like Exchange disaster recoveries
3) Can use virtual floppies for things like a PXE boot floppy for RIS
4) If you are installing SBS into a virtual machine on Virtual Server.. be
sure to turn off VS's DHCP server so that it doesn't conflict with SBS
trying to install/configure DHCP.
5) Keep in mind that VPC only support up to a 2g ISO image

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversysem/virtualserver/evaluation/virtualizationfaq.mspx

      Q. Does Virtual Server 2005 support non-Microsoft operating systems as
guests?

      A. Although Virtual Server 2005 can run virtually all major x86-based
server operating environments, Microsoft Product Support Services supports
only the following guest operating systems using Virtual Server 2005:

            . Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition

            . Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

            . Windows Server 2003, Web Edition

            . Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition

            . Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition

            . Windows 2000 Server

            . Windows 2000 Advanced Server

            . Windows NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 6a

      Q. Are virtual machine created with Virtual PC compatible with Virtual
Server and vice versa?

      A. Yes, virtual machines with either product are compatible, but when
using Virtual Server and Virtual PC together, there are several points to
consider:

            . Sound cards: Virtual Server does not include an emulated sound
card in its virtual machines, while Virtual PC does. If you will be using a
virtual machine on both Virtual Server and Virtual PC, you should disable
the emulated sound card in Virtual PC. This will prevent the sound card's
Plug and Play capability from causing errors on the virtual machine that you
created with Virtual Server.

            . SCSI support: Virtual Server provides SCSI support while
Virtual PC does not. If you create a virtual machine with virtual SCSI disks
on Virtual Server, the SCSI disks will be ignored if you move the virtual
machine to Virtual PC. This can lead to negative consequences in many
situations, for example if the virtual machine page file is on the SCSI disk
or if you are trying to use a SCSI disk as the startup disk. If you plan to
regularly move virtual hard disks between machines created with Virtual PC
and Virtual Server, we recommend that you attach the virtual hard disks only
to a virtual IDE bus in Virtual Server.

            . Saved States: Saved-state (.vsv) files between Virtual PC and
Virtual Server are incompatible. When moving a virtual machine between
products, be sure to completely shutdown the guest operating system.

            . CD-ROM drives: Although Virtual Server allows for virtual
machines with multiple CD-ROM drives, Virtual PC supports virtual machines
with only one CD-ROM drive. If you are moving virtual machines between the
two products, you should configure only a single CD-ROM drive on the virtual
machine and attach it to secondary channel 0, which is the default setting. 

-- 
Hope that helps,
David Copeland
Microsoft Small Business Server Support
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
SBS Newsgroups:
SBS v4.x: microsoft.public.backoffice.smallbiz
SBS 2000: microsoft.public.backoffice.smallbiz2000
SBS 2003: microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs
"SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" <not@your.nellie> wrote in message
news:e5PJYrIuEHA.2804@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> the possibilities are numerous if not infinite.
>
> In my scenario you would also create a VPC client machine for your tests.
> The VPC client would have a single NIC 'local only' to talk to the SBS
VPC.
>
> "Attila" <$acsokai$@nosmap.andrew.cmu.edu> wrote in message
> news:OzBvZlIuEHA.3088@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > Thanks that is kind of tip I am looking for. What confuses me though is
> > that if I install it on a worksation that is really connected to my
> > production SBS, then how do replicate the configuration of the ISA on
the
> > virtual PC running SBS? I am just trying to visualize it. The way I see
it
> > is that the real NIC would be the "outside NIC" on the Virtual PC SBS
and
> > the the second NIC could be its Inside one. So then I could hookup a
> > switch to the second VPN NIC? and another worksation to that to
replicate
> > a real enviornment.
> >
> > Isn't just easier to buy a cheap Dell PowerEdge SC if the money can be
> > made available?
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Attila
> >
> >
> > "SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" <not@your.nellie> wrote in message
> > news:O%23f15WIuEHA.3448@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> >> Yes, give the VPC 2 nics. One is 'local only' the other goes to the
real
> >> NIC.
> >>
> >> I actually suggest installing SBS with just the 'local only' interface
> >> live. Complete the SBS Standard install including major to-do list
items
> >> then shut her down and add the 2nd interface to VPC.
> >>
> >> "Attila" <$acsokai$@nosmap.andrew.cmu.edu> wrote in message
> >> news:%23LOc3RIuEHA.2196@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> >>> In a reply to an eariler question on testing SBS settings, Andrew
> >>> recommended to perhaps try MS Virtual PC. So I just installed the
trial
> >>> version on one of my worksations. My question is, does anybody have
any
> >>> experience in using this with SBS 2003 or 2000? Especially in regards
to
> >>> using the ISA component, since it needs two NICS, and the workstation
> >>> does not. So  can realistically test ISA using Virtual PC?
> >>> Since I have the eval version, I will give this a try, but I am just
> >>> looking for some feedback /experience.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks,
> >>>
> >>> Attila
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

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