Rules to Better SharePoint Virtualisation

• SharePoint server can't be renamed after SharePoint is installed
• Multiple VM's with the same name can't be powered up in the same network
• So the master.vhd contains:
  1. Windows 2003 server SP2
  2. Visual Studio .NET 2005
  3. Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer
• When sysprep is ran on the master.vhd, it generalises Windows 2003 server (generate new machine guide, rename computer, etc), the scripts that run also puts "administrator" into the registry so that'd be the name of the next login prompt. A vhd that is in this state is the "sysprep'ed" vhd
• When it restarts and the user logs in with administrator, it then runs the script to install
  1. SQL Server 2005
  2. Puts MossFarm account into registry
• After restart - login with MossFarm account and run the scripts to install
  1. SharePoint 2007 sp1
• Runs Moss\Post_Build.cmd

When you want to create a SharePoint environment, you would need to create a new Virtual Machine from the SysPrep image.

When MS releases a new service pack, or new Windows update, we install these to the master image and create a new version of the Sysprep image for future VMs.

We have three types of VM images around the office.

1. The master.vhd is for upgrading future VMs and sysprep VM's are built from the master.vhd The master.vhd is versioned (e.g. master_v8.vhd) to track which version it is, and to assist us in upgrading the master image.
2. The sysprep.vhd is the one that we use to create a new SharePoint server When you run the sysprep.vhd it will create a new SharePoint server. Always make a copy of this to your own machine. The sysprep.vhd is versioned (e.g. sysprep_v8.vhd)
3. You may find various other VM's created from sysprep.vhd and used for various projects or experiments These images are usually renamed but kept the original version number that it was created from. (e.g. sswsp_v8.vhd)

Development for SharePoint is very different depending upon whether you are online or using On-Premises SharePoint.