Hey TLG fans,

I just published the Test Lab Guide: Configure the Contoso Branch Office in the TechNet Wiki. With this new modular TLG, you do the following:

  • Set up two computers acting as routers (RTR1 and RTR2) and two new subnets for a simulated WAN link (Wannet subnet) and for the branch office (Branchnet subnet)
  • Install and configure BOAPP1, a branch office application server and DHCP server for the Branchnet subnet
  • Demonstrate that when CLIENT1 is connected to the Branchnet subnet, it can log on to the corp.contoso.com domain and access resources on BOAPP1

Here is the lab diagram (click on it for a larger version):

 

The resulting branch office test lab provides an environment for configuring and testing branch office deployment scenarios. You can optionally add WAN emulation software, for example, to turn the Wannet subnet into a 128 Kbps link.

Because this TLG is adding new computers to the Corpnet subnet, it can conceivably be added anywhere in a TLG stack.

For a quick overview of how to build out this test lab, see the following video.

Although not explicitly tested with Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8, you can also use the Windows Server 2012 Base Configuration TLG. You will need to translate some of the procedures to their counterparts in Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8.

If you want to test some branch office or WAN optimization functionality, such as the BranchCache feature in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012, take a look at this new TLG.

Install, branch out, but please enjoy!

 

Joe Davies
Principal Writer