Creating a Test Network with VMs

std071708 · Post by **std071708** » 17. Jul 2008, 17:56

I looked at Gary Griffin's how to on Creating testbed networks of virtual machines, host Windows XP, guest Redhat Enterprise Linux. I suppose this would be more for him but I am going in the opposit direction aas I have Linux host and am trying to setup a Windows VM network.

This document was designed for a Database cluster situation, whisch I might have to do also, but I just have to have acouple of servers and a couple of workstations. One of the servers will be a Domain Controller.

Two final questions:

1. With the VBoxManage commands listed in the how to, would they be the same for cloning a windows vm?

2. With an internal network can the VM's get to the internet or is there some special configuration to allow this? I noticed in the How To that the VMs nic was configured with the host ip address as the gateway. Is this what will allow the VMs to access the internet?

Post by **Sasquatch** » 17. Jul 2008, 20:09

1. The VBoxManage command is OS independant, it's just a VM, no matter if you run Windows, Linux or BSD on it.

2. Internal Network is like a switch or hub connecting the VMs together. This is a controlled network, meaning there is no external influence on it, just the VMs and nothing else.
If you want the VMs to access internet, use NAT. Nice addition, you can use one of your servers to act as an internet gateway, installing RAS on it with a NAT interface and Internal Network. But that's up to you.

std071708 · Post by **std071708** » 17. Jul 2008, 20:44

In the How To I referenced what is the purpose of putting the gateway of the VM to the host adapter address?

Post by **Sasquatch** » 17. Jul 2008, 21:58

The Host IP address is used with NAT, so all internet traffic will be routed through VB. With Host Interface, depending if you bridge the connection or use Internet Connection Sharing, you either have to enter your Host gateway, or your Host as gateway.