6/19/2001 -- If, like many others, you have decided to study for the Windows 2000 MCSE certification, then exam 70-215, Installing, Configuring and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Server is an obstacle you're going to have to face. The exam measures your ability to carry out a number of tasks, including performing both attended and unattended installations, installation and configuration of network services, and troubleshooting hardware problems, to name just a few.

There's no better way to learn something than to do it, and that's especially true with this exam. By setting up a small home networking lab, you'll be able to perform the above tasks and many others over and over again until you learn and understand exactly how Win2K Server works. This article will show you how to do just that -- even if you have a limited budget and/or only one computer to work with.

Hardware Selection
The first step in setting up your lab is figuring out what equipment you will need, and the first step in building your equipment list is choosing the right PC(s). When looking at hardware, there are a number of things you'll need to keep in mind.

Probably most important is minimum system requirements. Microsoft's minimum system requirements for Win2K Server are:

• 133 MHz or higher Pentium-compatible CPU.
• 128 MB RAM minimum; [256 MB of RAM recommended], 4 gigabytes (GB) maximum
• 2 GB hard disk with a minimum of 1 GB free space. (Additional 100MB or more free space is required for temporary files if you intend to install over a network.)
• Windows 2000 Server supports up to four CPUs.

These really are the absolute minimum specs you will need to install and load Windows 2000. Unfortunately, with this configuration, you really won't be able to do much else. Personally, I'd recommend a 200MHz or higher machine -- it will make a measurable difference in performance, but won't set you back much price-wise. Likewise, if you want to install all the Windows components and still have room for a few applications and files, go for a 10 to 15GB drive -- this will give you the option of using your machine for more than just booting an operating system. Memory, too, is something you're not going to want to skimp on (there's a reason Microsoft "recommends" 256 MB!) With memory prices these days, this is another area where a little extra investment will go a long way.

Next, be sure that all the components of your system are supported by Win2K. To do this, consult Microsoft's hardware compatibility list (HCL) at http://www.microsoft.com/hcl. If your components aren't on this list, you can end up with a system that won't run Win2K, even if you meet all the minimum requirements. Fortunately, the list is quite long so you should have no problem finding hardware that meets your needs as well as your budget.

Even with the above requirements met, you may find the system is still a little sluggish. That's O.K., it will still serve its purpose. You don't really need the fastest machine on the market, even if it means configuring those network connections takes a little longer. Pentium 200Mhz or 266Mhz systems can be picked up dirt-cheap if you look around, and they make excellent machines to learn on. Keep in mind that all components have limitations: for example, not all motherboards are able to support 128 MB RAM or higher. However, if it's on the HCL, you should be safe from these sorts of shortcomings.

Once you've begged, borrowed and bought as many computers as you can that meet the above specs, it's time for set-up and configuration.

One Computer? Software to the Rescue
So you've only got one computer? It's time to get creative. Luckily, with the right configuration and software, this PC will get you a long way.

VMware is one program you'll find extremely valuable. VMware is an application that allows you to open as many operating systems as you like (or that your computer can handle) within almost any Windows operating system and most of the Linux distributions. Not only are you able to run other operating systems from your existing desktop, you're able to assign a different virtual IP address to each one and run them as a virtual network, across a virtual hub -- almost anything is possible with this great program.

As if that wasn't reason enough to check it out, you can also set up virtual mirrored disk sets, volume sets and striped disks with parity (RAID 5) without the need for a SCSI card or a SCSI hard drive. This will prove extremely valuable if you want to brush up your skills on setting up fault tolerance and recovering from disk failures, all of which is knowledge you'll find useful for the exam.

Unfortunately, VMWare's hobbyist price of $99 that was available last year is no more; however, at the new price of $299, it still may save you some money over buying multiple computers or expensive hardware. For more on VMWare or to download a trial version visit http://www.vmware.com.

Partition Magic is another program you may find valuable. With it, you can create a new partition and install Win2K Server without affecting your existing installation of Windows Me, 9x, 2000 Professional or NT Workstations (Note: Win2K Server as the first operating system is not supported by Partition Magic, so you will need one of the above OSes installed first). Boot Magic, a tool contained in Partition Magic, will then let you set up an easy-to-use menu for selecting the OS you want to use when you boot your computer. If you do decide to dual-boot or multiple-boot and don't want to wipe out your existing OS and data, I'd strongly advise you do a backup first -- Partition Magic is a great program and has worked for me many times, but it only takes one failure to ruin your day. While it's possible to install Win2K Server and Professional on a single partition, I recommend always installing an operating system in a separate partition -- doing so allows you to confine problems that may arise to one of your operating systems rather than destroying them. For more on Partition Magic, visit http://www.powerquest.com.

The above two solutions can be invaluable when you don't have enough PCs to create an actual network (and, actually, have uses even when you do). Unfortunately, as with any shortcuts, there are drawbacks. Using a single computer means you'll have to simulate networking Win2K, and while it does get close to the real thing, it's not quite the same as breaking out the network cables. If you can, go with two machines. If not, programs like VMware are lifesavers, but only if you have enough memory to run everything properly (yet another reason to make sure you get at least 256 MB!).

Two or More Computers? Break Out the Cables
With two computers you open up new possibilities. You're able to set up a relatively inexpensive network with two servers, or a server and workstation, or even use dual booting to allow a greater number of variations.

The first thing you'll need to do before you start thinking about how you want to configure your machines is to figure out how to connect them. If you have only two then you can connect them via a crossover CAT 5 cable directly, without the need for a hub. You can pick up a CAT 5 cable for about $10 (U.S.). Simply connect your crossover cable from one NIC to the other and voila -- a peer to peer network.

By using dual booting on either one or both of your machines, you can create quite a number of different environments and add a lot more functionality to your small network. For example, if you dual boot one machines with Win2K Server and Win2K Professional, you can go from practicing in a client/server network model to a multiple domain network with only a system restart. For more on dual booting with Partition Magic, see the above section on having one computer.

If you've got three or more machines to connect, you'll need a few standard straight-through CAT 5 cables and a hub. A four-port 10/100 hub will serve this purpose well; you can find a good quality, name-brand hub from 3Com or Intel for less than $100 if you look around (try www.pricewatch.com for some good deals).

While a three-machine network connected via a hub is more expensive than the other solutions presented here, if you can afford it, this is definitely the way to go: You'll get hands-on experience with network connectivity and will have pieced together a real world (albeit a miniaturised) version of a Win2K network. With any of these scenarios, though, you'll be able to set up the network components of Win2K and emulate a lot of the everyday tasks required of a network administrator -- the same tasks you'll be asked about on in the exam.

Build or Buy
Let's say you don't have all the components you need lying around in your home office. So, do you shop for parts or pre-built systems? That decision will be based on your personal preferences and skills, what resources you have on-hand and what you can spend.

If you decide to build yourself but aren't sure how to go about it, there's plenty of information out there on the Internet. You might want to start with the following links:

• Hardware Central
• Smart Computing's directory for articles on building PCs
• Buidling and Upgrading PC Links Page
• BuildingPCs.com
• PC World's "Building Your Dream Machine"

For books, try the popular "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" by Scott Mueller or "Building a PC for Dummies, 3rd Edition" by Mark L. Chambers.

To help you determine how much you might have to spend upgrading a PC vs. buying a new one, following is a list of prices found on popular Internet shopping sites. As prices vary widely, this list is intended only as a guide. All URL's were obtained from a listing at www.pricewatch.com. For the latest "best" prices, check pricewatch.com. (Note, amounts are in U.S. dollars.)

Time To Practice
Once you've got everything up and running, it's time to get to work. Following is a list of practice tasks for the 70-215 Win2K Server exam as written by Jill Gebelt for the July 2001 issue of Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine. So start your PC(s), have fun and learn something!