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Beginner Help: Home VM Environment Lab

I'm looking to configure a VM lab where I can install separate OS's for development testing and learning but I'm not sure what is the best setup for this. I'm running Windows 10 and have a 1TB external hard drive i'm planning to use as storage for the VMs. I just need a low-key personal lab but need some direction to get this set up.

Thanks!
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John
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I have a Windows 10 Pro laptop with a 1 TB SSD drive. I have VMware V14 Workstation Pro on this machine.

I have Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Ubuntu 16 and some earlier machines.

The later machines (like Windows 7) can network with the host machine so you can learn Networking and Folder Sharing this way.
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Lee W, MVP
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My lab demos have been done on a single Intel DC S3500 series SSD in a StarTech 2.5" enclosure with USB 3. That's more than enough bandwidth and IOPS to run a full setup such as:
VM0: Domain Controller, DNS, DHCP
VM1: File & Print
VM3: Exchange 2013/2016
VM4: Remote Desktop Broker/Gateway/Web
VM5 & VM6: Remote Desktop Session Hosts
VM7: SQL
VM8: SharePoint

A four core CPU with 64GB of RAM should be quite inexpensive to purchase today. An Intel DBS1200SPLR server board, 64GB ECC Crucial RAM, and an Intel Xeon E3-12xx v6 series CPU would be a great option if budget permits.
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Just add the Hyper-V role to your workstation, and you can start Virtualisation...
There's little point in spending money on VMWare Workstation when Hyper-V is built in to Windows 10 Pro

For newer machines, I understand and agree. I have some older (out of support) machines for testing and I need VMware for that. I like the overall flexibility of VMware better as well. So for me, it is worth the modest cost.
For newer machines, I understand and agree. I have some older (out of support) machines for testing and I need VMware for that. I like the overall flexibility of VMware better as well. So for me, it is worth the modest cost.

I probably wouldn't have commented if you mentioned hyper-V.  But every i-series intel CPU has supported SLAT necessary for Client Hyper-V which dates back 8 years.  Most computers made in the last 5 years would support it.  And many before then.
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Thank you everyone! I have an MSDN Subscription so I should already have a Win10 Pro licence to upgrade to - I'm currently using Win10 home.
Then just install virtual box
https://www.virtualbox.org