Recommendations for a Home Lab???????? 4

[setnaffa]

I am likely going to need to build my MCSE 2000 test lab at home due to constraints on equipment at work. I have come up with the following minimums; but need to know from those of you who did this if it is the best way...

Computer 1: Dual-boot W2K Pro and W2K Server
Pentium 200MHz CPU
128MB RAM
2x1.2GB HD
1xCDROM
10/100 NIC
Keyboard, mouse, soundcard, 15" monitor, etc.

Computer 2: Dual-boot W2K Server and W2K Adv Server
Pentium 266MHz CPU
256MB RAM
2x1.2GB HD
1xCDROM
10/100 NIC
Keyboard, mouse, soundcard, 15" monitor, etc.

1 Printer with cable attached to Computer 2

2 Ethernet cables

1 10MB Hub

surge protector, desk, lights, chair, etc...

Anything I left out?

Setnaffa is an MCSE-4.0 with a few other certs, too...

 

[stonetown]

If only 2 PCs no need for a hub, just use cross-over cable, much cheaper. Not sure if you can dual boot server/server pro/server, if you can be careful about configuration of partitions and AD etc. This might create more confusion than its worth in the long run. Suggest obtain 3rd machine, use a hub, run single boot machines, pro/server/adv or pro/pro/adv or pro/adv/adv. Run AD on your most powerful machine (domain controller) and run one server as a standalone.

This all depends on your resources, cash etc.

 

[chiph]

I agree with Stonetown --

Once you're talking about running 2000 Server (or Advanced), you'll need Active Directory available all the time (required for MSMQ, in any case).

What I did was have my "large" machine (dual P-II 333's) act as AD controller with DNS running on it. I kept DHCP running on my cable modem router (disabled DNS on it), although I could have moved DHCP to the server (didn't, for reasons that seemed clear at the time (- This solved a problem I had with AD thinking I was part of the RoadRunner domain, as I told DNS on the server to be part of my own domain. In case no one's told you yet -- you need to get DNS perfect before even attempting to install AD, as AD uses DNS for name resolution.

Chip H.