HI im wanting to setup a study lab containing several windows 2012 r2 servers (mixture of core and full installs) to allow me to study towards my MCSA in server 2012 r2 and then for MCSE.
Physical equpiment,
1 pc which is has window 8.1 pro installed from this machine. This machine i would like to remote manage and connect through to my Hyper-v server and then into any of the virtual machines. (this machine is more of a gaming pc so not able to run to many vm's from it)
2 pc bought Just for study 8 core processor 1 tb of hhd space 16 gb of ram.
This machine i would like to setup using hyper-v server 2012 r2, which then i would create a test domain within it also with some clients allowing me to play and undstand the principles im learning.
now im getting conflictiong information regarding the Hyper-v server 2012.
If i set the hyper-v server up as a standalone in a work group. Would i be able to manage ther VM's within the hyperv server from my external windows 8 pro machine using the remote server management tools or would i need to connect that pc to the domain.
Things I think i can do but not sure. as im still learning
Could I setup a server 2012 r2 running AD dns and add the hyper-v role then wihtin that create the rest of the domain inside, allowing me from my other phyical machine log on to domain and manage all servers and machines.
Could I set up as i originally suggested, set up hyper-v 2012 server in a workgroup, then create the domain within the hyper-v server but still connect from my external pc to manage the hyper-v and all the internal VM's within the domain.
I could run a Domain controller on a VM from my other windows 8 machine (within hyper-v or wmware), then on the 2nd machine install the hyper-v server connect it to the domain running from the other machine from what i can see, many people say this is the better option, BEST Practice, but this is only a lab and i dont require resilience. and i would prefer to have my as a sever manager via the remote tools.
So what i like to know if you can point me in the right direction either by a guide for someone who has setup a similar to me.
or tell which of the above options is possible or not so i dont waste anytime.
Network, i know i can do this virtually but i already have cisco routers and layer 2 swicthes so i may make the network lab via them.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me