This is my first IT lab project. I built a fully documented multi-OS virtual environment with Kali Linux, Ubuntu, Windows 10/11, and Windows Server 2022. My goal was to set up a lab that allows me to practice and showcase skills in virtualization, system administration, networking, and domain management.
All virtual machines run on VMware Workstation and are stored on an external SSD for portability and performance.
In this lab, I wanted to:
- Gain hands-on experience with virtualization and multi-OS deployment
- Build a Windows domain environment and integrate client machines
- Practice networking, system administration, and security configuration
- Document the lab setup in a professional, reproducible way
| VM Name | OS | CPU | RAM | Disk | Network | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kali-2026.1-x64 | Linux (Debian 13.x) | 2 vCPUs | 4 GB | 60 GB | NAT | Penetration testing and security practice |
| Win10-22H2-Lab | Windows 10 | 2 vCPUs | 4–6 GB | 60 GB | NAT | Client machine for domain integration |
| Win11-23H2-Lab | Windows 11 | 2 vCPUs | 4–6 GB | 60 GB | NAT | Modern client OS testing |
| Server2022-Lab | Windows Server 2022 | 2 vCPUs | 4–6 GB | 80 GB | NAT/Host-only | Domain controller, DNS, DHCP |
| Ubuntu-24.04-Server | Linux | 1–2 vCPUs | 2–4 GB | 40 GB | NAT | Optional Linux client/server integration |
CPU and RAM allocations are set to allow multiple VMs to run simultaneously without overloading the host machine.
- Host machine: Windows running VMware Workstation
- Virtual network:
- NAT for internet access
- Host-only for isolated internal lab network
- External SSD stores all VM virtual disks for portability
- I use snapshots to preserve clean states before making major changes
- Kali Linux: installed using Debian 13.x 64-bit base image guided partitioning.
- Hostname: kali-locd
- Local user created during installation.
- Disk: 60 GB single file virtual disk.
- Network: NAT
- Windows 11: installed using UEFI firmware with virtual TPM and Secure Boot enabled.
- Hostname: WIN11-LOCD
- Edition: Windows 11 Pro
- No product key used for lab installation
- Local account created for lab use
- Disk: 80 GB single file virtual disk.
- Network: NAT
- GRUB bootloader installed.
- Domain name: LAB.LOCAL
- Windows Server hostname: SRV22-LOCD
- Windows client hostnames: WIN10-LOCD, WIN11-LOCD
- Kali hostname: KALI-LOCD
- Fully qualified domain example: WIN10-LOCD.LAB.LOCAL
Keeping hostnames and domains consistent ensures clarity and prevents conflicts.
I document usernames, passwords, and hostnames internally in the Docs folder using placeholders. No sensitive personal data is included.