Help: SQL Server

I have been demonstrating AlwaysOn feature to various audiences on various forums (TechEd, SQL Saturday, Virtual TechDays etc.). I have been using Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V to create multiple machine and demonstrate the feature. Someone asked me if he can do the same thing using his Windows 7 laptop? I tried looking at virtualization techniques available on Windows 7 and I found that it should be possible. I have tried to make it as descriptive as possible with step by step screenshots to configure whole setup.This topic would be a multipart series.

1. Configure Windows 7 to use Virtualization and Configure three machines (One domain controller, two member servers). Also configure networking between them.
2. Create Domain and configure the machines to make sure they are able to talk to each other.
3. Install SQL Server 2012 on the servers.
4. Configure AlwaysOn.

First download Windows Virtual PC on Windows 7 machine. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx and choose below option. I am not going to Install Windows XP mode.

One clicked, choose your platform and language and click on download button.

This would install Windows Update to enable Virtual PC

Restart the machine and you should be able to see below under "Start” > “Programs” > “Windows Virtual PC”

Next step would be to download the Virtual Hard Disk (a.k.a. VHD) file which I can use to configure my machine. Note that You need to use 32 bit images to make this work. Here is the link to download Windows Server 2008 images http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14527 (Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition x86 (Full Install) VHD)

There are three parts which you need to download and then extract to user by Virtual PC. It would look like below.

Double Click on the File and Extract the data into “C:\VHDs\DC” folder as shown below:

Once extraction is complete, make three copies of the vhd (Windows2008Fullx86Ent) file and keep them in separate folders as shown below. [I am showing only two, same exists for Srv2 also]

Lets add the machine to Virtual PC. Open the UI from "Start” > “Programs” > “Windows Virtual PC” > “Windows Virtual PC” and choose “Create virtual machine”

Follow the wizard and create DC

One done, lets go to network setting and choose “Internal Network” This is because I don’t want to create domain controller in my office domain network.

Right Click on DC and choose “Settings”

Go to Networking option and choose “Internal Network”

Now start the first machine and make sure we are able to log in.

You need to follow few steps which are pretty self-explanatory. It would also as you to set machine name (I have given name as DC) new password for Administrator. Once you are done with that, this is what you should see 🙂

As homework, before moving to second part, you need to do the same thing with two more machines and here is what you should see in Windows Virtual PC.

See you at next part of Series!

Hope this would help someone in the world!

Cheers,
Balmukund Lakhani
Twitter @blakhani