Greetings everyone. I’ve been working in IT for almost a year now as a level 1/2 helpdesk technician. My career goal is to be a sysadmin someday. This week I finally got around to creating the “homelab” I’ve been putting off for a while. Currently I’m using Virtualbox on my windows 10 pc that was previously used for gaming mostly. I’ve been enjoying it so far. Love how quick and easy it is to stand up machines.
So far I have a small windows environment with a network server (AD DS, DNS, DHCP), file share and one windows 10 box. I’ve been having fun setting up those networking services and playing with group policy mainly but I know I will want more from the environment soon.
Everything is currently connected on an internal network in virtualbox. I would like to start doing some more advanced configuration with the internal network and simulate a real LAN. Adding vlans/subnets to separate hosts from servers, set up some kind of routing between them. The problem is I want it all to stay confined in virtualbox. I’m just wondering if there is a type 2 hypervisor that also has full network virtualization? I’ve seen about adding a GNS3 VM to virtualbox, would this work?
I will probably move to a type 1 hypervisor eventually and purchase the appropriate physical networking equipment to set a more complex environment eventually but for now I just don’t want to spend the money or have a server room in my home.
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Type 1 vs Type 2 doesn’t really affect network virtualisation. On most hypervisors the closest thing you’ll get to a layer 2 switch is a network bridge. GNS3 in a VM is a decent idea too.
Is your PC running Win10 Pro? If so, you can enable Hyper-V and start learning that. Add a multiport NIC and you’re all set.
I was kind of toying around with the idea of adding another NIC to my pc and then linking it up to a cheaper desktop cisco layer 3 switch and then doing a bridged connection to that NIC. I didn’t think this would work as intended though with multiple VMs linked to that one bridge port. Now however I see you can buy multiport NICs so I think if I bridged each VM to its own NIC port and linked those to their own ports on the switch I could accomplish what I want to do?
Just wanted to say welcome to the world of labing, and to the work of IT seen as your newish (1 year) to it.
Most of us IT Technicians, Admins etc have been there before and I just wanted to say keep at it, look for what suits you but also pushes your boundaries. Would also suggest not going to deep too soon, as you may learn how to set something up, but its also the support, administration and monitoring that is needed behind this that also takes time to learn. Get comfortable with your system/s before jumping onto the next thing.
Most of the good Sys Admins I have known have had many years experience which I feel is what companies are looking for as they will want a safe pair of hands. Those that are not good, don’t have the experience or even the right character to admit and say they F’d up!
One best word of advise is put your lab environment on your CV! This shows willingness to take your own time out to, “purchase” if you do so, learn and do stuff thats relatable to your profession. I’m sure in a few years time, you will have a server rather than a desktop, Level 2 switches all running a proper domain hosting various requirements and be amazed how far you have come.