The “Sand Box” of Windows Virtual PC
Are you developer who borns to learn :) ?
if yes..you might know that develop/configure in Virtual PC is just fun..you can install everything without messing the host system, you can do the installation, learning a set tools, testing the betas, and product testing in clean system. Furthermore, you can deploy the virtual PC files (VHD) right away as a virtualization computer in Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V.
However we know that almost server system software is running in x64 system. If you want to run Sharepoint 2010, Exchange, or event Windows server 2008 R2, you need x64 support for your virtualization environment. Unfortunately the latest generation of Virtual PC a.k.a Windows VPC is not support the x64 system. It means you can’t install anything version of windows or software that need x64 system.
I’m asked the IT Pro Advisor for this case and the answer is Hyper-V on Windows Server 2008…
..Cool!
so i have to install the Windows Server 2008 R2 as a host system and after that you can install any x64 system on the
top of it…The problems are
“Developer is a human, they love fancy stuff like Aero Glass, Windows Flip, Media center and DirectX 11 game!..leaving Windows 7 just make a developer geekers than evers ..:p”
well the software market is competitive you can see two brands software that already support x64 which are VMWare Workstations ($$) and Virtual Box (x64). That’s it rather than to install Windows Server 2008 R2 you can install virtual box here
Doing a little performance testing i got several clue when you are using VPC and when you are using Vbox
- VPC is faster than VBox if running windows based system.
- VPC supports integration features VBOX is not.
- VPC supports Windows 7 Aero (this is usefull when you want to develop a software that use Windows 7 spesific feature)
- VBOX supports x64 system (:D yes yes yes)
- VBOX supports remote display. It means you can using RDC to remote your VPC
- VBOX supports 3D virtualization, although is not though enough to run Crysis Game :)
The Conslusions:
If you love Windows 7 (like me) you can install the VBOX for your x64 system development otherwise installing the windows server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V will boost your productivity…