June 19, 2015 at 5:49 am
A while back, we had a discussion on The Thread about the best kind of virtual machine software. But now, for the life of me, I cannot find it. The search function only tells me that the words "VM" and "virtual machine" exist in The Thread, but there are waaaaaay too many posts for me to read each one individually.
So, does anyone have any advice on virtual machine software?
I'm looking at new laptops (Lenovo was recommended to me) and would like to set up some VMs for testing SQL Server stuff. I intend to get a 64bit with a PRO OS as the base. I'm hoping to get a 1 TB drive and have yet to decide whether I want the 15.6" or the 14". Of course, I could go with an AMD chip, which I think is cheaper, but then the battery life only extends to 6 hours, not 8 or 9.
So, thoughts on whether or not this combo would work with a VM? Thoughts on the VM?
Also, for those who podcast / post video, what software do you use to record your computer stuff? I'm thinking about recording my VM installations for posterity (and giggles).
Lastly, the SO told me I would need a server OS for my VMs. Is this true? If so, are there Dev editions of the OS available?
June 19, 2015 at 6:12 am
VMware Workstation. Doesn't need a server OS.
Camtasia for video recording.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
June 19, 2015 at 7:03 am
If you're machine is going to have as it's OS Win 8.X Pro, it has the MS Hyper-V built-in. Presuming the CPU supports virtualization, you can add the feature, set up your virtual network, and start adding VMs.
As for the OS for VMs, at least with MS products, you've got a couple options:
1. Purchase a valid license for the OS you want on your VM (including consumer OS like Win7)
2. Make use of the 180-day (maybe it's less) trial editions of MS Server OSes
OTOH, if you want to exchange VMs with others (such as Gail,) find out what they use for a virtualization environment, and go with that.
June 19, 2015 at 7:30 am
jasona.work (6/19/2015)
OTOH, if you want to exchange VMs with others (such as Gail,) find out what they use for a virtualization environment, and go with that.
Exchanging VMs? How does that work?
I already knew I was going to have to buy more OS licenses, but I was hoping I could just use workstation OSes instead of Server versions. Gail's answer helps with that.
Though... What are the pros and cons between Hyper-V vs. VMware? I know I read that discussion somewhere on The Thread. I seem to recall most votes were leaning toward VMware.
June 19, 2015 at 7:49 am
Brandie Tarvin (6/19/2015)
jasona.work (6/19/2015)
OTOH, if you want to exchange VMs with others (such as Gail,) find out what they use for a virtualization environment, and go with that.Exchanging VMs? How does that work?
You can (in Hyper-V and I'm 99% sure in VMWare) "export" a VM to a file(s) which can then be imported on another install of the same product. They do tend to be fairly large (Hyper-V VHD / VHDX files don't compress for anything,) but it means you could set up a VM to give to others (I'd make sure to use the trial OSes for this, and even then check licensing, it might be borderline) so that everyone is working from the same start point. Maybe for a "here's how these four experts and me would solve the same problem" sort of thing.
I already knew I was going to have to buy more OS licenses, but I was hoping I could just use workstation OSes instead of Server versions. Gail's answer helps with that.
Brandie Tarvin (6/19/2015)Though... What are the pros and cons between Hyper-V vs. VMware? I know I read that discussion somewhere on The Thread. I seem to recall most votes were leaning toward VMware.
Arguably speaking, VMWare is the 800+ pound gorilla. VMWare Player was for a long time (and probably still is) one of the better solutions for running a VM on a non-server OS, and in part because of how long they've been in the VM workspace, VMWare Workstation is more popular than anything else out there for people who need to be able to create VMs (Player can't create, I believe.) So rather more people with have VMWare than Hyper-V. Plus, I believe, VMWare Workstation is also available for non-Microsoft OSes (as your host OS)
June 19, 2015 at 8:07 am
Brandie Tarvin (6/19/2015)
I'm looking at new laptops (Lenovo was recommended to me) and would like to set up some VMs for testing SQL Server stuff.
As an alternative, Microsoft's Azure Virtual machines.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
June 19, 2015 at 11:39 am
GilaMonster (6/19/2015)
Brandie Tarvin (6/19/2015)
I'm looking at new laptops (Lenovo was recommended to me) and would like to set up some VMs for testing SQL Server stuff.As an alternative, Microsoft's Azure Virtual machines.
I thought about it, but the big draw back is that it would require me to have internet access whenever I wanted to play with it. And sometimes I'm in places with no access, but I want to play with SQL.
Also, from the one brief instance I was exposed to it (an hour in a SQL Saturday class), it seemed Azure didn't do everything that Enterprise can do. Plus there's the traffic charge.
Of course, I could be misremembering the capabilities part. And regardless of what I set up on my laptop, I should get in some Azure time just to say "I did it once, a long time ago" on my resume. It certainly couldn't hurt.
June 19, 2015 at 1:01 pm
Brandie Tarvin (6/19/2015)
GilaMonster (6/19/2015)
Brandie Tarvin (6/19/2015)
I'm looking at new laptops (Lenovo was recommended to me) and would like to set up some VMs for testing SQL Server stuff.As an alternative, Microsoft's Azure Virtual machines.
I thought about it, but the big draw back is that it would require me to have internet access whenever I wanted to play with it. And sometimes I'm in places with no access, but I want to play with SQL.
Also, from the one brief instance I was exposed to it (an hour in a SQL Saturday class), it seemed Azure didn't do everything that Enterprise can do. Plus there's the traffic charge.
Of course, I could be misremembering the capabilities part. And regardless of what I set up on my laptop, I should get in some Azure time just to say "I did it once, a long time ago" on my resume. It certainly couldn't hurt.
Actually, I think Gail was suggesting the Azure Virtual Machines, rather than Azure SQL (or whatever it's called this month.) Azure VMs are really no different than what you could stand up on a laptop or server with Hyper-V installed (in fact, you can prep a VM on a local Hyper-V instance, then deploy it up to Azure.) But, yes, you'd need internet for Azure VMs to work.
June 22, 2015 at 2:36 am
My home lab in on a HP Microserver, with ESXi installed then a few VMs. Haven't had any issues.
Before I got myself thee Microserver, I used to run OracleBox[/url] on my machine. Again, no complaints apart from "guru meditation mode" on errors.
I user Hyper-V on my work desktop, which is my preference when running the VMs on the same machine I'm working on.
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