How to network Windows SBS 2008

[Gibraltar]

Hi all,

I'm trying to set up a virtual network in order to learn more about Windows Server (trying to become a sys admin). I've managed to install Windows SBS 2008 in VirtualBox (Windows 7 Ultimate x64 host), and can connect to the internet (bridge mode) with the SBS server - great

My home connection is based on a ADSL/router that has DHCP enabled for my "primary" home network (my host, grilfriend laptop with wireless, etc) and also works great.
My idea is to set up a "second" network (virtual) to have only the SBS Server (and some XP guests) and would like it to have internet enabled so I can have a test environment as close as it gets to the real thing.

The problem with SBS Server is that it wants to be the only DHCP server on the network, so when I configure VirtualBox with Bridge mode SBS wants to disable the DHCP in my router, and If I do that IP's are assigned my the SBS Server (since this is supposed to be a test lab the server won't be on the hole time - would like an alternative to having to access my router everyday to enable/disable DHCP. There has to be a better way.

I've read the manual and thought that I could get away with Host-only Adapter since it used a virtual NIC created in the Host and I thought I could manage to get internet to that NIC and consequently to the "second" virtual network, but so far nothing...

Anyway, if someone could give a hand to a network noob (trying to learn) on the best way to get this thing going, remember:
- ADSL/router with DHCP on serving Host and more computers
- Guest Windows SBS 2008 (has to be on a diferent network then the previous point, but still have internet access)
- Guest Windows SBS 2008 wants to be the only DHCP on the network
- Will create more guests (windows xp, etc) on the same SBS server network in order to learn about AD, domain administration, etc
- Will want to join another XP computer to the domain from outside the "second" network (virtual) through the internet (possibly by VPN)

Any help? Thank you so much

[Perryg]

You can use host-only to setup your internal network and add a second adapter set to NAT to the guests to be able to get to the Internet.
Remember that any other pc on the network will not be able to see or use the units on the host-only network.

[Gibraltar]

Great sugestion Perryg, that's close to what I thought the solution should be; although I thought I could do it in the host something like bridging the phisical NIC (access to primary lan and internet) with the virtual host-only NIC, but couldn't get this set up working.

With your sugestion I only have to solve a little problem. Part of the SBS setup is to disable the DHCP of the Host-only nic. Apparently SBS should do this automatic (if router is uPNP compliant) and the VB implementation of the Host-only router does not seem to be. So when SBS tries to reset the router (as part of the setup right after disabling DHCP) it just gives an error asking to manually do this. Will try latter.

Ohh, one more question, do you think I'll be able (with the network setup you're sugesting) I'll be able to acces the SBS Server on the "virtual" network from the Internet, for example to join a client to the domain throuh a VPN?

Thanks a lot for your continuous help

[Perryg]

Look under the preferences in the VBox GUI. In network you will see the Host-only adapter and if you click on the edit (looks like a screw driver) then go to DHCP server tab and take the tick out of the enable server you will not have the problem of DHCP server conflicts.

As for using this to access from the network, host-only means just that. Host only.
Now I can't say for sure with SBS but I have setup my Ent server to act as a VPN server/gateway in a different address range and using RRAS can access the network that way but this requires a port forward (actually a few) from the public side to the private address of the Server on a separate NIC. But not in host-only mode.