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Strear
Contributor
Contributor

For a local lab : Workstation or Server ?

Hi,

I need to build a lab on my workstation, with 2/3 servers vms, and one workstation. The fact to buy a license is not a matter. should i use Vmware Server 2.0 or Vmware Workstation ? I've read tests, pros and cons on the net, but never understood or read clearly if Vmware Workstation has all the networking things of Vmware server.

So, for a test lab (AD, Exchange, recovery tests ...), what should i use ?

Thanks in advance !

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Kasraeian
Expert
Expert

Hello,

Can you post your requirements for your LAB, what do you want to do with it.

I Use VMware Workstation for my home LAB, for working and learning Microsoft MCITP (server 2008 series).

I'd worked with VMware Server 1.0 a lot before I'm moving to VMware Workstation, but As I use it, I won't go back for that Server.

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MCTS, VCP

If you found this note/reply useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful" If there's any mistake in my notes, please correct me! Sohrab Kasraeianfard | http://www.kasraeian.com | @Kasraeian
Strear
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Smiley Happy,

I'm in the same case, i plan on working my MCSA 2003 (and later MCITP), but would like to rebuild our local company production infrastructure from zero (the GPOs, the AD, DNS ....), just to keep " the hand " and stay up to date in case of a crash.

Ideally, there would be a DC (for a lab, let's say it'll have DNS & DHCP, WSUS roles), a file server running W2003 (and secondary DNS), an exchange 2007 server, an sql 2000, and a linux (proxy running Squid and a few other things).

There you have a global idea of what i want to set up Smiley Happy

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Kasraeian
Expert
Expert

Ok, So may I ask How many system/Server do you have? and a little about their physical Info.

Because running File Server and exchange server on VM (if you have a lot of work with them - I mean if the going to be operational) may be affect other VMs which located on the same system (if its not a good system, you don't get any thing out of this LAB).

Also I want to know if it is any "Must" for choosing between VMware Server and VMware Workstation? May be you can try VMware ESXi 3.5 or ESXi 4.0 and get so much better performance and result (if your hardware supported by these two product).

I had run 3 VM on my Notebook (CPU 1.83 Core-Duo, 4GB RAM) using VMware Workstation as follow:

1. Windows Server 2008 as AD DS, DNS

2. Windows Server 2008 as WSUS

3. Windows Server 2008 as WDS-File Server

But..

You will sense the lack of performance, even all of them don't using so much resource and being idle.

-= If you found this note/reply useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful", Thanks! =-

MCTS, VCP

If you found this note/reply useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful" If there's any mistake in my notes, please correct me! Sohrab Kasraeianfard | http://www.kasraeian.com | @Kasraeian
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Jain
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Have a look at http://www.virtualization.info/lab/VMwareWKS60_vs_VMwareSVR10.pdf

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Jain | VCP4 | Please award points, if you found answer useful

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