Creating a Lab network with to learn Microsoft Server

[90Ninety]

Hi Guys

I am looking at learning Server 2012~2016 . In order to learn I want to create a 'lab enviroment' . I want to make a seperate network , where my virtual WIndows server will be a part of .

However concurrently I want my home network and the NAS itself to reside on my Home Network . So my question is , can I run a virtual server on a virtual switch on a seperate network from the NAS itself.

I did not want my Lab network to interfere with my home network

Sorry about being a noob . I have tried playing with virtual switch to create different networks but I havent solved

ANy Ideas

Running TS 451 4.3 QTS

[90Ninety]

Ok So I went back to the drawing board with this : Ideally if I had the room I would just wire up some old computers and stick on a segreagated ( physically seperate network )

However I digress , It seems as though the NAS unit can use different networks for its containers and Virtual machines , so I thought I could run a virtual server that could be seperate network , away from my everyday leisurely devices . It is likely that I will run and experiment with DHCP , DNS and AD . I am just thinking how htings would be connected - would I need two routers ?

I have put together a conceptual diagram to try to envision what this may look like

qnap network idea.jpg

Please comment or share thoughts - Maybve this is crazy ?

[90Ninety]

I thought this was a simple concept

One network for my usual day to day stuff , streaming , mobile wifi , gaming, porn ect . Then another seperate network where my virtual server would run

[dolbyman]

I have never used the vswitch stuff, but you should easily be able to do two different networks, either with physical hardware or vlans

[Gunnerman1]

Yeah there are many ways you could segment out a lab net but you should be able to segment your network using a virtual switch if you want to run vm's on nas or local machines. Though I highly recomend checking out a cloud service like Google Cloud, which offers a very easy way to deploy vm's for servers, clients, routers, storage. They also offer a lot of network config options in the panel.

Cheap for just testing and you don't risk or need to worry about breaking or compromising your home net while you learn. Or you can break things if you want.

Or go buy a cheap router and plug it into a separate eth interface on the nas and have all of your test vms use that interface (though the vswitch should suffice, sometimes it is easier when you can see the different components).