Installing NethServer on Hyper-V

Version / Revision: V1.0
For: Beginner

Skill: General audience
Published: 2016-05-27
Review: 2016-05-27
Last Update: 2016-05-27

Contact: Nethserver community forum

You need an installed Hyper-V Feature on Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2. The installation is not part of this article. Check this Howto for more information on Windows 10: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/hyperv_on_windows/quick_start/walkthrough_install

If you are new to Hyper-V and you don't use it currently, you first have to configure a virtual Switch. You can skip this if you have already a configured Hyper-V environment.

1. Open the Hyper-V-Manager Console and select your server/PC in the tree on the left.
2. Click on “Virtual Switch Manager…”
   
3. In the Virtual Switch Manager, select “New virtual network switch” on the top left
4. After that select “External” on the list on the right and click on “Create Virtual Switch”
   
5. A new virtual Switch will be created and you will see a properties page of this new switch
6. Enter a Name for the switch (i.e. “MySwitch”) and leave everything like it is. Click on “OK”
   
7. A warning will popup, that current network connections will be interrupted for a few milliseconds. Confirm this message.
   

1. In the Hyper-V-Manager Console select your server/PC in the tree on the left
2. Click on “New” ⇒ “Virtual Machine…” on the right.
   
3. Skip the first introduction by click on “Next”
   
4. Enter a name for the server (i.e. “MyNethserver”) and select a different location, if you don't like to store your machine at the predefined location
   
5. Select “Generation 1”. “Generation 2” is currently not supported by Nethserver (version 6.7)
   
6. Select the amount of memory for your Nethserver. The amount depends on the amount of functionalitys Nethserver will have.
   
7. Select the previously created switch or another switch that matches your needs
   
8. Define the Name, Location and Size of the virtual Hard disk.
   
9. Select “Install an operating system from a bootable CD/DVD-ROM” and after that “Image file (.iso)”. Click on “Browse…” to select your already downloaded ISO-Image for the Nethserver installation.
   
10. You finally see the summary of your VM. Click on “Finish” to create the virtual machine.
    

Additional Virtual Machine configuration that is required when installing “Samba Active Directory” - enable spoofing of MAC addresses - allows the DC using the additional IP address to communicate with the Samba clients on the green subnet:

1. On Hyper-V Server 2008 R2
   
2. On Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 (well hidden)
   

1. In the Hyper-V-Manager Console doubleclick your new virtual machine to open the VM-Console.
2. Click on the Green Start-Button to turn on the virtual machine
   
3. The VM will start and will boot from the mounted ISO-File