Member Avatar for Mafiamanandre

Hi all

I would just like to find out, which VMWare product I should use when I want to create a virtual Network using Windows Server 2008 and a domain. I want other computers (running Windows 7 Ultimate) in our workplace to connect to the domain on the Virtual Machine (Server)

I have tried vmware Player to do this, but the connected PC's doesn't show the VM, and I cannot Ping the VM from any PC's connected.
I have been told by IT companies that Workstation or vSphere will do the best on a windows 7 system (as a host)

Currently in our workplace there are 5 PC's that needs connection to one central point. I want to have all of them connected to a Virtual Machine running a server on my Windows 7 PC....
I have explained this to the IT company and they said get Workstation or vSphere.

Which VMware Product should I get to virtualize my network and Server and create a domain and have our PC's connect to the server and run on the domain?

Thanks!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by JorgeM

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If the goal is to have several physical Windows 7 PCs join a domain hosted inside a VM on your Windows 7 machine, the networking and AD best practices matter more than which product you buy. ’s symptom (other PCs on the LAN not reaching the VM) is typically caused by the VM using NAT or host‑only networking instead of being on the same LAN as the clients.

Practical product note: on a Windows 7 host, VMware Workstation gives the most straightforward controls (Virtual Network Editor and explicit “bridge to this NIC” options). VMware Player will run the OS but offers limited network mapping. ESXi/vSphere is a bare‑metal production hypervisor (not installed on top of Windows 7) and is the right choice only when you have dedicated hardware and need HA. ’s caution about production availability is correct: if this machine is the only DC, a single failure makes the domain unavailable.

Quick setup checklist (apply in this order):

  • Set the VM’s network adapter to Bridged (bridge to the correct physical NIC — use a wired NIC if possible).
  • Give the server a static IP on the same subnet and set its Preferred DNS to its own IP (DC = DNS server).
  • Point each client’s DNS to the DC before joining the domain (domain join relies on DNS SRV records).
  • Allow essential AD ports on the server firewall (DNS 53, Kerberos 88, LDAP 389, RPC 135 + RPC dynamic ports, SMB 445, GC 3268) and RDP 3389 if remote desktop is needed.
  • To let a domain user RDP to the server, add them to the server’s Remote Desktop Users group, for example:
    net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" "DOMAIN\johnh" /add

Important cautions: don’t rely on VM snapshots for a Windows Server 2008 domain controller — snapshots/rollbacks can cause AD USN rollback. Disable host time‑sync for DCs and use proper NTP or the PDC emulator for time. For any production use, run a second DC (on different hardware/host) or keep regular system‑state backups so recovery is possible.

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Member Avatar for JorgeM

If you are setting up a new domain, creating the first DC on a VM is probably not a go or idea unless you have a production VSphere that's fault tolerant, highly available. If that VM system is unavailable, your domain is unavailable.

Anyway, you could use vmplayer if this was for a test. Technically it would work the same way as workstation or any other VM app. For production it would be better to run VSphere although setting up vmsphere for one VM is not cost effective.

Edited by JorgeM
Member Avatar for Mafiamanandre

This isn't for a test. This will be for a couple of months... This must basically be the same as a school's/restaurant/etc's.. network

*Just a quick question: *

Is it possible to connect to the server via Remote Desktop using ANY USER that is on the domain on any PC in the workplace using Remote Desktop or SOMETHING...? (e.g. John has an account on the domain, and he wants to log onto the domain using his credentials (Username: DOMAIN\johnh Password: 1234)

Member Avatar for JorgeM

Is it possible to connect to the server via Remote Desktop using ANY USER that is on the domain on any PC

Yes if course. However if you are expecting any user to RDP and/or log on interactively on a domain controller, the user have the appropriate rights and/or permissions.

A regular domain user would not be able to log into the server by default.

he wants to log onto the domain using his credentials (Username: DOMAIN\johnh Password: 1234)

John would be able to log on a workstation that is a member of the domain using his domain credentials. "Log onto the domain" simply means being authenticated by the domain controllers in the domain.

Member Avatar for Mafiamanandre

So JorgeM, you are prescribing that I use vSphere?

Member Avatar for JorgeM

you are prescribing that I use vSphere?

I dont have enough information to provide you with a real recommendation. The infrastructure you build depends on cost, time to return to operation in the event of a failure, etc..

Based on what you have said so far, I am hearing that there is a requirement to virtualize and that this is production.

Based on those two requirements, I'd suggest vSphere. However, there are other production ready hypervisors out there, for example, Microsoft's Hyper-V. If all that you plan is to virtualize one or two systems and you dont have strict requirements around availability and fault tolerance, vSphere is an overkill.

Regarding costs...you get the most out of your virtual infrastructure as you scale it out. however, getting into the vm business has high upfront costs.

for example, say a server costs you 2500.00 for this domain controller... i doubt that you will be able to stand up an adequate vSphere infrastructure for that cost. however, if your vSphere infrastructrue hosts 40-50 servers, you can easily justify the upfront costs because you are going to see a return on that investment and a lower total cost of ownership when comparing that two 50 physical servers.

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