Creating an OSD test environment

The first step in creating a successful OSD is to have a useful test environment that you can connect to remotely and rebuild quickly. You need a Virtual Machine (VM). VMs allow you to quickly perform testing cycles with OSD. Enter MICROSOFT HYPER-V.

This may come as a surprise to many, but Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 is actually a free product. Microsoft Hyper-V Server is a free download from Microsoft. You can obtain the latest version of Hyper-V Server on https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-hyper-v-server-2012-r2.

Or if you have an available license for Windows Server 2012 or R2, you can simply install the OS on your server, and enable the Hyper-V role. If you are using a Windows 10 computer, the Hyper-V feature can also be added for free. We'll see how to use the free Hyper-V offering later to make a VM, but the option for the Hyper-V role is similar.

Getting ready

Install Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 on a server (preferred) or workstation...