Setting up a lab for the MCSA

Greetings, I'm not sure what or how would be the best way to setup a MCSA lab.

I am currently running VMWare on a Ubuntu 8.04 pc. I would like to be able to set up a few Windows Server 2003 and some Windows XP clients. I am not sure what would be the best, legal way to get copies of those OSs.

thanks

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120nm4n

VMWare offers an appliance for Windows Server 2003:
Virtual Appliance Marketplace

dynamik

You can download trials of Server 2003. Check out a Technet Plus subscription. It's $349/year (regularly, you can find special offers), and you get access to all MS software with no limitations or expirations.

JockVSJock

dynamik wrote: »

You can download trials of Server 2003. Check out a Technet Plus subscription. It's $349/year (regularly, you can find special offers), and you get access to all MS software with no limitations or expirations.

Hey Dynamik, how does Technet Plus stack up against MSDN Virtual Labs?

thanks

dynamik

JockVSJock wrote: »

Hey Dynamik, how does Technet Plus stack up against MSDN Virtual Labs?

thanks

I'm not familiar with those, but I would wager it's quite a bit different. Technet Plus gives you the actual software. I can choose whether I want Office 2007, Server 2003, Exchange Server, etc., download the ISO, and request a key. Then I'm free to go to work with it. It never expires, and there aren't any limitations. The others are pre-built, guided labs.

JBrown

dynamik wrote: »

I'm not familiar with those, but I would wager it's quite a bit different. Technet Plus gives you the actual software. I can choose whether I want Office 2007, Server 2003, Exchange Server, etc., download the ISO, and request a key. Then I'm free to go to work with it. It never expires, and there aren't any limitations. The others are pre-built, guided labs.

By "no limitations" you mean on variety of software and apps i would guess. I know that MSDNA allows for non-production use only of any software MS produces. You can not install it on a PC with intent to sell the PC and you can not sell the software. I would guess same rules apply to Technet ?

dynamik

Yea, sorry. No feature or time limitations. It's for testing/evaluation only.

Ashenwelt

You might also consider becoming a microsoft partner and getting the MS Action Pack subscription for registered partners. It is similar to technet... except you can use many of the applications for internal use legaly. And that includes hosting a public website. Price is very similar or exactly the same, can't rember for sure. You also get access to some free training from MS (and sometimes, partner events).