Whilst all the options are pieces of great software, I recommend starting with VMware player if you are new to VMs, to familiarise yourself with the VMware ecosystem and environment, as this software is most common in industry. Another free option is the open-source VirtualBox package. If you have Windows 10 Pro you can use Hyper-V. However, if you are a complete virtualization beginner premium software isn't necessary and the free version, VMware Player, will suffice. For this example, I’ll be using VMware Workstation Pro, a premium option. Step 0.5: Downloading a hypervisorįirst of all, were going to need access to some kind of virtualization software.

Also, you'll have the advantages of full control over the whole network, setting up snapshots (if using premium VMware) all without the huge resource, power, and maintenance overhead.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to set up a Windows Server 2019 (or any other major release if your needs require so) instance in a VM and create a safe practice environment where you won’t have to worry about angry users or risking downtime.Īfter the initial set-up of the VM, you'll be free to hop into your virtual server just as if it were a real one mounted in a rack, running all the same software and tools you would on a production install. Getting your hands dirty administrating Windows Server is the best way to learn Windows Server SysAdmin, but practicing on a production server can be dangerous and costly and building your own home lab to learn with is both prohibitively expensive and far from beginner-friendly. Screenshot of Windows Server 2019 Evaluation Edition in VMware Workstation Pro

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