Virtualization in Practice
Virtualization has the potential to revolutionise the way networking is taught in higher learning institutions. This article outlines, through the use of a case study, the way in which VMware Workstation and VMware ESX Server are used so that each student in the class runs his or her own set of seven virtual servers, including a Linux router. The Linux router connects virtual networks within the context of student physical machines to one another as well as a lecturer virtual server, which runs on an ESX server. In this way, a class of twenty two students can together run an enterprise-like network comprising of some 177 servers and implement Microsoft Active Directory sites and associated services in order to optimize a specific scenario-based replication topology.