Help setting up Hyper-V to test Windows Server 2016


  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #1

    Help setting up Hyper-V to test Windows Server 2016


    Hi,

    I need a bit of help setting up a virtual environment, so I can try out Windows Server 2016. I'm quite new to Windows Server in general, but I'd like to get to know it better and start learning about its major features etc. I'd like to set up a virtual environment in Hyper-V but I could do with a bit of advice with setting it up please.

    I'd like to test Windows Server 2016 out in Hyper-V along with having say a couple of VM's with Windows 10 Pro on so that they can connect to the Server so I can try out things like Active Directory, Group Policy etc.

    What I was concerned about though is the Windows Server interfering with my home network. I would ideally like to have both Windows Server 2016 and the client VM's on their own virtual network in Hyper-V, away from my physical home network. So to summarize:

    • All Virtual Machines to be in Hyper-V (Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 Pro clients)
    • The Server and Pro clients need to talk to each other and ideally have Internet access
    • I'd like to use Hyper-V rather than VirtualBox etc. Not that I dislike VirtualBox and the like, it's just that I'd like to get used to using and knowing the features of Hyper-V
    • Hyper-V is already installed on my physical Windows 10 Pro Desktop PC
    • This Windows 10 Pro Desktop PC is currently connected to my normal home network and has Internet access

    The main thing I am unsure of is the networking side. I'd like the Server and client VM's to not have full access to my home network, so they can't interfere with it. So is it possible for the VM's to talk to each other, have Internet access, but not be able to interfere or be seen by other physical machines on my home network?

    I hope I've explained it correctly. I have had a look myself into this, I was thinking of maybe using an 'Internal' virtual switch in Hyper-V, which sounds like it may do the job of letting the VM's talk to each other and possibly getting Internet connection from the physical machine that Hyper-V is installed on. I'm not sure if this is the way to go though, so I thought I'd ask for some advice before setting it up in Hyper-V.

    Thanks :)
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 12,799
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    Hello DZ10 and welcome to the forums. Here is an excellent tutorial written by @Kari about Hyper-V. At the bottom of the tutorial will be several other links about Hyper-V that may help you as well.
    Hyper-V virtualization - Setup and Use in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #3
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #4

    essenbe said:
    Hello DZ10 and welcome to the forums. Here is an excellent tutorial written by @Kari about Hyper-V. At the bottom of the tutorial will be several other links about Hyper-V that may help you as well.
    Hyper-V virtualization - Setup and Use in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials
    Thanks essenbe :) I hadn't noticed that there were Hyper-V ones on this site, I should have had a search through the Tutorial Index in more detail. I've had a good look through that tutorial you mentioned, very helpful indeed.

    Thanks Kari, in fact I had already read the Windows Server 2016 - Setup Local Domain Controller Windows 10 Tutorials tutorial and I bookmarked it as it will be the guide I use for when I setup Server 2016 for the first time in a VM It's a great tutorial and will be very helpful, thank you.

    So, could you or anybody else let me know if I have this correct please. After reading your tutorial on switches, I do think that the 'Internal' switch which (and let me know if I'm wrong!) should allow me to have internet access (if I share share my connection from the PC running Hyper-V), but because it's an Internal switch, not External, the VM's should be able to see each other but not the devices on my home network. Shall I give this a go? I'm only a bit hesitant because I've heard about DNS conflicts etc. if you just plonk a Server on a home network along with my ISP's router etc. I don't exactly want my family losing connection whilst in the middle of viewing stuff on Netflix

    Thanks.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #5

    Hi there
    @DZ10

    I can't answer your specific questions on HYPER-V but I know all about "Breaking Netflix" - even the Dog starts barking madly. !!!!

    I don't think there's any major problem to having a server on a home LAN (I have 2 Linux servers on a LAN plus a whole slew of other stuff).

    The best way I've found (from bitter experience - with almost a dogbite or two !! ) is to use a network switch and if you have more than one Ethernet port on your server create in a different subnet and don't grant shares etc from the server until it's all working.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #6

    jimbo45 said:
    Hi there
    @DZ10

    I can't answer your specific questions on HYPER-V but I know all about "Breaking Netflix" - even the Dog starts barking madly. !!!!

    I don't think there's any major problem to having a server on a home LAN (I have 2 Linux servers on a LAN plus a whole slew of other stuff).

    The best way I've found (from bitter experience - with almost a dogbite or two !! ) is to use a network switch and if you have more than one Ethernet port on your server create in a different subnet and don't grant shares etc from the server until it's all working.

    Cheers
    jimbo
    Thanks for the advice jimbo :)

    I only currently have one Ethernet port on my Desktop at the moment and a lack of physical test machines to play around with, but I suppose I could use my main two other machines once I know how things setup and work with Server 2016.

    I'm going to give the Hyper-V setup a go first (within a couple of days or so) and I'll report back with how it goes. Hopefully I have some success with getting them to talk to each other on their own virtual switch in Hyper-V and report back with what settings I used :)

    Thanks again.
      My Computers


 

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