Running a Windows VM on Windows, licensing?

[d000hg]

I work remotely on a VPN system, and RDP in. So that all my personal internet (streaming music, CUK, etc) doesn't go through the VPN, I run a VM and connect to the VPN from there, effectively sandboxing the VPN.

It works great, but I currently run the VM as an XP Mode image on Windows 7.

Not only is XP a bit of a risk (even in this very limited use) but XP Mode is removed in W8/10 and I'm planning to upgrade. However, I don't want to buy another OS license just to run a 'thin VM'.

Can anyone suggest what my options are? Thanks.

[VectraMan]

You can RDP into a Windows system from Linux.

Also if you don't "use default gateway on remote network" for your VPN then all your personal internet doesn't go through the VPN. This is what I do.

[d000hg]

You can RDP into a Windows system from Linux.

So you're suggesting I could install VirtualBox to run a Linux VM instead of my XP VM? I'm not certain the VPN software we use has a Linux client but I could check.

Also if you don't "use default gateway on remote network" for your VPN then all your personal internet doesn't go through the VPN. This is what I do.

You've lost me now. I think you're saying I can run the VPN on my regular desktop, and control which things go via VPN and which through my normal connection, but how does each application know which to use? Does "don't use default gateway on remote network for your VPN" mean the VPN would only be used when I explicitly tell things to use it - and that RDP has some setting for that?

[VectraMan]

You've lost me now. I think you're saying I can run the VPN on my regular desktop, and control which things go via VPN and which through my normal connection, but how does each application know which to use? Does "don't use default gateway on remote network for your VPN" mean the VPN would only be used when I explicitly tell things to use it - and that RDP has some setting for that?

You can't really control it; it's just about routing IP addresses. When you connect to a VPN you'll get a new IP on its subnet, say 10.0.1.x. Your computer will know to route anything on the 10.0.1.x subnet through the VPN connection, and anything else to the default gateway (your local router). As long as the machine you RDP to and any servers or anything you access is on that 10.0.1.x subnet then you'll be able to access them via the VPN and CUK, or BongaBongaVids or whatever it is you like to look at will be routed via your personal broadband.

At the moment it's using the default gateway of the VPN which means anything it can't find locally is sent via the VPN.

The only slight issue is that the VPN DNS is likely to take priority, so they can still see the name look up of anything you visit. You can probably override that, but then it gets difficult to access remote servers by name. But you can always use the IP address.

Try it and use tracert to see what's happening.

[Bluespider]

So...

You have your normal desktop OS, you currently spin up a virtual xp instance and then run a vpn from that to clientco.

What services are you then consuming at that point? is it a web based virtual infrastructure or purely for network connectivity?

[SimonMac]

Have a look here

http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...l_machines.pdf

[d000hg]

So...

You have your normal desktop OS, you currently spin up a virtual xp instance and then run a vpn from that to clientco.

What services are you then consuming at that point? is it a web based virtual infrastructure or purely for network connectivity?

Yep, I spin up a VM on my desktop, and launch the VPN client from the VM. I then run Remote Desktop from the VM, logging into a machine in the client's office. So I'm nested 2 RDPs deep to isolate the VPN. RDP is the only thing I actually run on the VM other than the VPN client.

[Bluespider]

raspberry Pi running as a thin client with RDP and loads of other connectivity 'plugins' (citrix receiver etc) and crucially VPN clients.

Raspberry Pi Thin Client project

I played around with this as a potential thin client for a client of mine a while back but it was still a bit rough around the edges.

unless clientco has a very specific firewall client that needs to be installed?

[d000hg]

I'm not sure I want to have a separate rig running, though it's a neat idea.

They use something called SonicWall which I think has a specific client app, though I know very little about VPNs or how one connects to them.

[SimonMac]

I'm not sure I want to have a separate rig running, though it's a neat idea.

They use something called SonicWall which I think has a specific client app, though I know very little about VPNs or how one connects to them.

SonicWall is Windows only