just get VMware Workstation, create a machine there, make a standard windows install for example and take a snapshot of this machine clean of any additional software installed. then you can try as many programs as you want and if you dont need them any more just go back to the clean snapshot you took before. xp machine will run perfectly with 512 dedicated to it so you dont really need a very powerful machine.
in my VMWare I run a domain controller with 2 xp machines powered on and that all on the laptop with 2gb or ram
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Reply to: Virtual PC and Evaluations
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Previously on "Virtual PC and Evaluations"
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Well I suppose you could but the host normally doesn't have a terminal as the ESX OS is a very dumbed down Linux. There is a CLI interface but I believe that is only in the paid for version but you can also access via a web interface.
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Ok, so I get the server hosting side and the client access software. Is there any way of hosting the client access software minimally i.e. without Windows?
I want to have a variety of Windows VMs on the server so the client pc just needs to be a dumb terminal really with no access to anything other than the VMWare Server.
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Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostWould a Citrix-like environment be feasible where you have several VMs on the server, any of which you could log on to via a client?
So, as a Windows user, I would use Terminal Services to log on to a VM of my choice (which could be networked to any number of other VM Servers)?
This would mean the client could be a very minimal installation. Any downloads from t'internet would be invoked by the VM Server which would be hardwired to the router. This would be preferable to downloading directly to the client using a crappy wi-fi connection.
Sorry, stream of consciousness going on there.
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Would a Citrix-like environment be feasible where you have several VMs on the server, any of which you could log on to via a client?
So, as a Windows user, I would use Terminal Services to log on to a VM of my choice (which could be networked to any number of other VM Servers)?
This would mean the client could be a very minimal installation. Any downloads from t'internet would be invoked by the VM Server which would be hardwired to the router. This would be preferable to downloading directly to the client using a crappy wi-fi connection.
Sorry, stream of consciousness going on there.
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Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostSo, if your machine was powerful enough you could have a very minimal OS installation and a stack of virtual PCs.
Mainframes have been doing this for over 30 years though with the VM operating system . For instance, part of my current project is 1 mainframe with 386gb of storage. It is divided into a number of logical partitions of which 3 are running z/VM; production, QA and test (the other partitions are z/OS and coupling facilities for Sysplex.) In the test partition there are currently around 220 zLinux (Debian and SuSE) images running and each one is running various applications (all are running Apache, zabbix, etc.) The 18 or so systems I'm currently setting up are all running various databases along with different flavours of WebSphere. In order for me to do that under Windows I would probably need over 250 servers, a big room and a few more staff than just old me...
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Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostSo, if your machine was powerful enough you could have a very minimal OS installation and a stack of virtual PCs.
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So, if your machine was powerful enough you could have a very minimal OS installation and a stack of virtual PCs.
If you only ever use your computer via one of these then you can effectively rebuild a PC every so often just by copying a .vhd file. You could switch OS's and dev/server/entertainment environments at the drop of a hat and keep a virtual server farm all on one PC? Am I right?
This sounds interesting. I guess there is a performance hit but if the machine is powerful enough the pros would make it worthwhile...
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My main machine runs VMWare Server, Microsoft Virtual PC and Sun xVM (all free) with various flavours of Windows and Linux. As it has 6GB of memory then it allows me to allocate a fair bit to each VM so they at least run pretty well (running multiple WebSphere servers with Oracle, MySQL, DB2 and SQL Server.)
On my laptop running Debian with 2gb of memory I run Sun xVM with a WinXP and Win2000 guest. They both seem to run pretty well but unlike the big machine I haven't really loaded them with a lot of applications although the base Linux system is running a lot of applications already. It looks to me that running virtual machines in a Linux host is a lot faster and there is not so much memory consumption.
If you can, I would suggest getting a reasonably cheap server and installing VMWare ESX3i which is also free ('ish) and running your VM's there. I'm in the process of setting this up on an old x236.
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Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostThanks Voodoo
Would 2G memory on a dual core laptop cut it or do I need to invest in a machine with loads more RAM and a massive drive?
I envisage I could get away with one 'client' and one 'server' on the host, but I don't want it to just chug away swapping files all day.
A dedicated machine with faster (and seperate) drives will be better suited to the purpose though.
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Thanks Voodoo
Would 2G memory on a dual core laptop cut it or do I need to invest in a machine with loads more RAM and a massive drive?
I envisage I could get away with one 'client' and one 'server' on the host, but I don't want it to just chug away swapping files all day.
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Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostCan I just recreate the VHD when the product expires?
Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostWill Microsoft updates be applied whilst in evaluation mode?
Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostIf I want e.g. a Sharepoint VPC, a SQL VPC and a Visual Studio VPC all running on one host, what sort of hardware would you recommend, bearing in mind that the server products would be using Windows 2003?
Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostDoes Virtual PC have to be purchased in order to create your own VHDs?
Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostCan the VHD be backed up so that when the evaluation software expires I can just copy the backed up VHD file over the one containing expired software and start all over again?
Originally posted by Shimano105 View PostCheers!Last edited by voodooflux; 26 March 2009, 09:52.
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Virtual PC and Evaluations
So I would like to setup some virtual pcs to evaluate software:
- Can I just recreate the VHD when the product expires? Will Microsoft updates be applied whilst in evaluation mode?
- If I want e.g. a Sharepoint VPC, a SQL VPC and a Visual Studio VPC all running on one host, what sort of hardware would you recommend, bearing in mind that the server products would be using Windows 2003?
- Does Virtual PC have to be purchased in order to create your own VHDs?
- Can the VHD be backed up so that when the evaluation software expires I can just copy the backed up VHD file over the one containing expired software and start all over again?
Cheers!Tags: None
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