Setting up a Windows 2003 Virtual Network

[openaccess]

Hi everyone.

 

In an attempt to expand my networking knowledge, I'm currently trying to setup a Windows 2003 network virtually, with one server and two XP Pro clients. I've installed Windows Server 2003 Standard and setup Active Directory and DNS.

 

However I can't join the clients to the server, i've tried changing IP addresses, and making sure the virtual machine has the networking set (i.e. bridged/local). I'm not entirely sure what I need.

 

All I want is a functioning server, which clients can join and I can administer my own domain, trying out different bits and bobs etc.

 

Any help would much be appreciated.

[tmcd35]

Two questions...

 

1) Do your clients have static IP's? or is there a separate DHCP server on the network in the same range as the Win2k3 VM? If not you'll probably want to add DHCP to the server VM.

 

2) Have you promoted the server to a domain controller? Run 'dcpromo' from the command line?

 

Also you may want to check you can actually ping the server from one of the clients.

[openaccess]

Two questions...

 

1) Do your clients have static IP's? or is there a separate DHCP server on the network in the same range as the Win2k3 VM? If not you'll probably want to add DHCP to the server VM.

 

2) Have you promoted the server to a domain controller? Run 'dcpromo' from the command line?

 

Also you may want to check you can actually ping the server from one of the clients.

 

I have given the clients seperate IPs, and pointed the DNS of each to the IP of the server

 

I have installed Active Directory, and when I run dcpromo it just prompts to an uninstall screen.

 

 

Thanks

[sted]

can the vms ping each other?

 

what cm are you using? it can definitely be done in vmware as that pretty much describes some of my old configs (ive now set up my old media centre to dual boot 2003/2008 and virtual pc2008 for clients (though for some odd reason it seems to only network if the real card has a link to something anything))

 

Vmware has a built in virtual dhcp server (i disable it)and i usually altered the ip range it used internally

[openaccess]

can the vms ping each other?

 

what cm are you using? it can definitely be done in vmware as that pretty much describes some of my old configs (ive now set up my old media centre to dual boot 2003/2008 and virtual pc2008 for clients (though for some odd reason it seems to only network if the real card has a link to something anything))

 

Vmware has a built in virtual dhcp server (i disable it)and i usually altered the ip range it used internally

 

I've tried pinging them, and they all come back fine

I was using VirtulBox, but Im gonna try VMWare or Virtual PC (which is better)

What would I do to set it up properly in VMWare?

[originofsymmetry]

I use VMware for this. Setup a new "Team" and in the initial setup of it, it enquires if you want to create a LAN Segment, choose yes, at the next screen your VM's are listed, just tick the box corresponding to LAN1. Typing this from memory by the way:)

[sted]

for what you are doing id say vmware is better i tend to use ms vpc for single vms rather than groups

[tmcd35]

Here's a thought. Does Virtual Box (or Virtual PC for that matter) support virtual switches? I know VMware Server and Virtual Server do.

 

If there is no virtual switch, just a bridged connection on the host PC's NIC then all network traffic between VM's must go out of the host PC's NIC onto the physical network and back in again to the other VM.

 

In short, when you are running these tests with virtual box is your host PC physically connected to a switch, router or hub? If not this may just solve your problem.

[openaccess]

I use VMware for this. Setup a new "Team" and in the initial setup of it, it enquires if you want to create a LAN Segment, choose yes, at the next screen your VM's are listed, just tick the box corresponding to LAN1. Typing this from memory by the way:)

 

I'm now giving this a go. I'm using VMware Workstation, but looking at their products ESXi is better?

[openaccess]

Here's a thought. Does Virtual Box (or Virtual PC for that matter) support virtual switches? I know VMware Server and Virtual Server do.

 

If there is no virtual switch, just a bridged connection on the host PC's NIC then all network traffic between VM's must go out of the host PC's NIC onto the physical network and back in again to the other VM.

 

In short, when you are running these tests with virtual box is your host PC physically connected to a switch, router or hub? If not this may just solve your problem.

 

I don't think Virtual Box or Virtual PC support virtual switches, though i'm now trying ESXi.

My host PC is physically connected to my router.

[tmcd35]

I'm assuming you are using a home PC with perhaps Windows XP/Vista/7 installed as the primary OS? If so I very much doubt ESXi is what you are looking for.

 

ESXi is very, very good and extremely powerful but - it will mean re-formating your PC and installing this as the primary OS. It has extremely stringent hardware requirements - think mostly server hardware. May not have drivers for your nic or storage controller for instance. And, to top it of, even if it does install unless you have SCSI or SAS hard drive it almost certainly won't let you create a datastore for the VM's so you won't be able to build any VMs with it.

 

In short ESXi is an Enterprise class bare metal virtualasation solution.

 

For this type of experimentation either VMWare Server or MS Virtual Server are much much better products and are better than VMWare Workstation, VirtualPC or VirtualBox.

[openaccess]

I'm assuming you are using a home PC with perhaps Windows XP/Vista/7 installed as the primary OS? If so I very much doubt ESXi is what you are looking for.

 

ESXi is very, very good and extremely powerful but - it will mean re-formating your PC and installing this as the primary OS. It has extremely stringent hardware requirements - think mostly server hardware. May not have drivers for your nic or storage controller for instance. And, to top it of, even if it does install unless you have SCSI or SAS hard drive it almost certainly won't let you create a datastore for the VM's so you won't be able to build any VMs with it.

 

In short ESXi is an Enterprise class bare metal virtualasation solution.

 

For this type of experimentation either VMWare Server or MS Virtual Server are much much better products and are better than VMWare Workstation, VirtualPC or VirtualBox.

 

Cheers for clearing that up. I'm running Windows XP Pro with 2GB RAM. I thought ESXi just sat on top of an exisiting OS. I didn't know that they actually made a virtualisation OS lol.

[openaccess]

Hi all,

 

After using VMware Server, I have managed to get my 2003 domain running! An XP client is connect.

 

Thanks for all your help