Transcript WIN385 - Advanced Desktop Testing Scenarios with

Win385
Advanced Desktop
Testing Scenarios With
Virtual PC 2004
Robert Larson
Subject Area Manager
Microsoft Corporation
Agenda
Key features for testing
Things to watch out for
Desktop Testing Scenarios
Demo
Terms
Term
Description
Virtual Machine
The virtual hardware environment provided by Virtual PC 2004
Host OS
The operating system that is installed on the physical computer
Physical
Computer
The actual hardware that is being used and where Virtual PC
2004 is installed
Guest OS
The Operating software that is installed on the virtual machine
Virtual network
A network created in software
Virtual Machine
Additions
Software loaded on the guest operating system that provided
increased functionality and performance enhancements
Virtual CDROM
A CDROM implemented in software that can share the physical
computer CDROM or access ISO images
VHD
Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) is the file on the physical computer that
a virtual machine uses as a hard disk and perform all the reads
and writes
VMC
Virtual Machine Configuration (VMC) file is where all the settings
for a virtual machine are stored
Shared Folders
The ability to use a folder on the host as a mapped drive letter in
the virtual machine
Drag and Drop
The ability to drag files or folders between the virtual machine
and the host
Key Features For Testing
Virtual disk types
Undo disks
Virtual machine states
Networking
Command line interface
Virtual Disks
Types of virtual disks
Dynamically expanding virtual disk
Fixed virtual disk
Differencing
Use a host partition
Use a host volume
Default is dynamic – 16GB
35KB when created on disk, expands as
you write data to it
Use Virtual Disk Wizard to pre-create
other disk types
Differencing Disks
Allows for the creation of a base read-only
guest image (parent) that can be shared with
unlimited other virtual machines (children)
All children store their disk changes in a
separate file
Can be chained together
Once parent is used it cannot be modified
without invalidating all children
Parent can be placed on DVD or
network share
Undo Disks
Allows all changes from power-on to
be saved, committed or discarded
Reboots are not affected
Enabled per virtual machine, applies to
all disks
Writes are made to a separate undo file
per disk
Virtual Machine States
Running states
Pause
Save State
Turn off
Shutdown the Guest OS
Undo disks add these states
Save State and save changes
Save State and commit changes
Turn off and Save changes
Turn off and discard changes
State options are configurable in the guest settings
What options are presented
Selecting a forced automatic option
Networking
Up to 4 NICs per virtual machine
Modes
Not Connected
Local Only (virtual machines only)
External NIC
Shared NAT
Use a MS Loopback adapter to get internal
only traffic between host and virtual machine
Virtual networking is like a hub with a
switched uplink port
Command Line Options
Allows modification of some settings during
virtual machine launch
Allows the modification of parameters when
guest is running
Great ability to
Create shortcuts on the desktop
Script the registration of VMC files
To start a virtual machine without opening
Virtual PC Console:
"Virtual PC.exe" –pc Contoso –singlepc –launch
To start a virtual machine and specify the
asset tag:
"Virtual PC.exe" –pc Contoso –launch -setassettag
asset_tag
Things To Watch Out For
Booting
Installing
Using
Security
Power-on
Cannot attach a virtual CD or floppy
until the guest is powered on
Pause after power-on, attach,
then resume
Cannot edit a running virtual machine
configuration to change hardware
Additions
Virtual Machine Additions provide high levels of
integration between the guest and host operating
systems; Integration features include:
Integrated mouse
Time synchronization
Cut and Paste
Drag and drop
Folder Sharing
Arbitrary screen resolutions
Full integration support is only available for Windows
guest operating systems
Install from Action->Install Virtual PC Additions
Auto-mounts an ISO CDROM image and launches the install
Security
Networking Security
Virtual machine has a completely different
network stack and identify from the host
ICF on the host does NOT protect a
virtual machine configured for
external networking
Patching
You must patch all virtual
machines individually
Using Shared NAT or enabling ICF on the
guest operating system is a good way to
protect the virtual machine until patched
Remote Access
Not a concern for local testing
Remoting a virtual machine
Until virtual machine additions are
installed, mouse can keyboard
is challenging
Can remote desktop to the host and use
VPC without issues
Can remote to the virtual machines if they
support remote control
Remote Desktop
Remote Assistance
NetMeeting
3rd party
Desktop Testing Scenarios
Desktop Testing Scenarios
Patch Management
Application Development and Test
Setup and MSI Repackaging
OS Deployment
Support
Patch Management
Maintain standard desktop OS configurations
without the hardware investment
Test clients for Windows Update Services
Easy to build/clone
Reduce project costs
Reduce project timeline
Perform quick what-if scenarios
Undo Disks
No reimaging
Perform chained patch scenarios
Differencing drives
Easy to discard or integrate
Application Development
And Testing
Run Visual Studio entirely in a virtual machine
Easy to maintain standard configuration of Visual Studio
Run in Local Only network mode
Isolates the dev environment
Test the next version of Visual Studio
No need to dedicate a machine
Easy deployment (have someone else build the test machine,
sysprep, clone it, and copy to the developers machines)
Run your test clients
Test setup routines
Test multiple builds off the same configuration
Test web applications against different versions of a
web browser
Easily test multiple authentication options
Test network bandwidth usage
MSI Setup
And Repackaging
Setup
Test your Visual Studio setup routines
Repackaging
Toughest problem = rebuilding base
packaging box
Undo disks make it fast and painless
Enable Undo disks
Power on virtual machine
Perform repackaging procedures
Copy off package files
Turn off and discard changes
Power on virtual machine and start next package
OS Deployment
Planning a deployment of Windows XP
Test your deployment method
Unattended
Imaging
Remote Installation Services (RIS)
Test bandwidth usage
Planning to deploy Longhorn
Test the new deployment features
Application Deployment
SMS 2003 package deployment
Methodology
Distribution testing
Compatibility testing
OS
Coexistence with other applications
Network bandwidth
Understand the network impacts
Procedures
Step-by-step
Scripted
Support
Microsoft Windows desktop testing library
Single install that can be shared (within
licensing constraints)
Easy to build a new base virtual machine
Process
Build a set of base OS configurations
Place them on a server with fast disk and network access
Recommend a dedicated network interface
Build differencing drives on your local machine using the
library as read-only parents
Place them in a folder with each machine as a subfolder
Enable NTFS compression
Add them to the VPC console
Local Only networking or sysprep to prevent collisions
Optionally enable undo disks
Features In Use
Attend a free chat or web cast
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/chats/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/usa/webcasts/default.asp
List of newsgroups
http://communities2.microsoft.com/
communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx
MS Community Sites
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/default.mspx
Locate Local User Groups
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/usergroups/default.mspx
Community sites
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/related/default.mspx
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© 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, in this summary.