Deployment on local machines

[mnhan32]

Hey there,
At our office, we are running Windows but we want to use Linux VM for internet access. I have very good experience using virtualbox seamless mode myself on Win7 host. While dealing with installing virtualbox and xubuntu vm on roughly 20 desktop with identical hardware setup, what's the best solution to install and manager those vm?
The only way I can think of is to create a appliance for everybody and mount /home on a second local virtual disk, if there is an update, I just need to re-generate an appliance for every machine, all user preferences will stay in their own home virtual disk. Does this sound reasonable? Also, if I would like to assign static ip for each vm, how should this be done? I am currently using bridged network and assign a static ip in my vm, is there a way to make sure each vm has difference mac address and assign a static ip to it via script without actually boot into vm? or is there a way to manage those vm via network?

Best

[mpack]

For how to deploy VMs, see Howto: Move a VM.

The MAC address is configurable in the VM settings or from the command line. Also if you avoid snapshots (and all other difference image schemes) then you can move only the VDI, that way the MAC address will be retained.

[mnhan32]

Thanks for the trick!!!

The MAC address is configurable in the VM settings or from the command line. Also if you avoid snapshots (and all other difference image schemes) then you can move only the VDI, that way the MAC address will be retained.

I also found discussion about phpVirtualbox on forum, it seems like a easier way to manager all VMs on 20 local machines. Will give it a try.