A challenge in creating useful TLGs is to enable their reusability and extensibility. Because creating a test lab can represent a significant investment of time and resources, your ability to reuse and extend the work required to create test labs is important. An ideal test lab environment would enable you to create a basic lab configuration, save that configuration, and then build out multiple test lab scenarios in the future by starting with the base configuration.
For a test lab based on physical computers, you can image the drives for future test labs. For a test lab based on virtual machines, you can create snapshots for future test labs. This allows you to easily return to a desired configuration for further learning and experimentation.
The Base Configuration TLG (overview video) allows you to create the base configuration test lab, upon which you can build test labs based on other TLGs from Microsoft, test lab extensions in the TechNet Wiki, or a test lab of your own design that can include Microsoft or non-Microsoft products. This base configuration test lab uses computers running Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 and consists of two subnets: the Corpnet subnet that hosts the Contoso Corporation intranet and the Internet subnet that simultates the Internet. The following figure show the base configuration test lab with the Corpnet (required and consisting of the DC1, APP1, and CLIENT1 computers) and Internet (optional and consisting of the EDGE1 and INET1 computers) subnets. When both the Corpnet and Internet subnets are configured, the CLIENT1 computer can be moved between the subnets to show intranet and Internet behaviors and functionality.
The base configuration TLG is just the beginning of the test lab experience. Other TLGs, test lab extensions, or TLG mini-modules focus on Microsoft products or platform technologies, but all of them use the Base Configuration TLG as a starting point.
After configuring the computers of the base configuration test lab, make sure that you perform a disk image on each computer if you are using physical computers, or perform virtual machine snapshots if you are using virtual machines. For a base configuration test lab that consists of just the Corpnet subnet and is connected to your production network, allowing scalability and ongoing access to the Internet for public cloud technologies, see Configuring the Corpnet Subnet of the Base Configuration Test Lab for Public Cloud Technologies. For a base configuration test lab that uses computers running Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8, see Test Lab Guide: Windows Server 2012 Base Configuration (overview video). For a list of other TLGs that use this base configuration, see Windows Server 2012 Test Lab Guides. For a base configuration test lab that uses computers running Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview and Windows 8.1 Preview, see Test Lab Guide: Base Configuration TLG for Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview.
A modular TLG describes how to set up and demonstrate a technology, product, or solution for either the Base Configuration test lab or a test lab based on another modular TLG. The following modular TLGs are available, sorted by purpose, product, or technology. Building blocks:
Windows Server 2012:
Windows Server 2012 R2:
Windows Server 2012-based private cloud and Hyper-V stack:
DirectAccess in Windows Server 2008 R2:
DirectAccess in Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) 2010:
Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010 R2:
Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010:
System Center:
Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) 2010:
Remote access VPN:
SharePoint Server 2010:
SharePoint Server 2013:
Integrated Exchange, Lync, and SharePoint Server:
To create your own modular TLG, see Wiki: Creating and publishing a modular Test Lab Guide.
A test lab extension describes how to configure additional functionality or advanced or uncommon configurations based on a working test lab. A test lab extension extends a modular TLG but typically does not create a new test lab environment that other TLGs can build on.
A test lab extension includes instructions to configure and test the additional functionality, and then manually restore the test lab to its original state. A test lab extension also includes virtualization advice so that you can create snapshots to store the modified test lab configuration and easily restore the original working test lab configuration.
Examples of test lab extensions are the following:
To create your own test lab extension, see Wiki: Creating and publishing a test lab extension.
A troubleshooting TLG describes the troubleshooting tools and how they appear in a working test lab for a technology, product, or multi-technology and product solution. The working test lab is typically based on a modular TLG.
A troubleshooting TLG also takes you through a set of troubleshooting scenarios. Each troubleshooting scenario steps you through the following:
The following troubleshooting TLGs are available:
To create your own troubleshooting TLG, see Wiki: Creating and publishing a troubleshooting Test Lab Guide.
A test lab troubleshooting scenario provides an additional scenario to demonstrate the results of a misconfiguration or other type of common problem and guide the reader through the root cause determination and correction. Test lab troubleshooting scenarios extend a troubleshooting TLG.
To create your own test lab troubleshooting scenario, see Wiki: Creating and publishing a troubleshooting scenario.
A TLG mini-module just includes the essential configuration steps to get an existing and working test lab to a new working configuration, skipping the demonstration steps. In contrast, a modular TLG is typically designed to demonstrate key functionality. However, in some cases you already have the expertise and just want to get to a new working test lab environment as quickly as possible. Another use for TLG mini-modules are building block TLGs, where you just want to install a product or software component and leave the demonstration of functionality to other modular TLGs. Examples of TLG mini-modules are the following:
To create your own TLG mini-module, see Wiki: Creating and publishing a TLG mini-module.
A TLG stack is a set of related or dependent modular TLGs, mini-modules, test lab extensions, troubleshooting TLGs, and test lab troubleshooting scenarios that create test lab environments to demonstrate a technology, product, or solution. For example, the following figure shows the IPv6 TLG stack:
For a list of TLG stacks, see TLGs: Get your stack on! and the following section on TLG portal pages. To create your own TLG stack, see Wiki: Creating a Test Lab Guide stack diagram.
A TLG portal page is a TechNet Wiki article that provides links to all of the resources for the test lab of a specific technology or product and includes test lab configuration and TLG stack diagrams.
The following TLG portal pages are available:
For the answers to frequently asked questions about TLGs, see the TLG FAQ. For the latest information about TLGs, see the Microsoft TLG blog.
This section contains a list of TLGs that are under active development. You should refer to this section before creating your own TLG to make sure that you are not duplicating efforts. If you find that you want to create a TLG that covers the same subject matter as one under development, we encourage you to collaborate with the TLG author and combine your efforts. You can write to Test Lab Guides Feedback (tlgfb@microsoft.com) and we will connect you with the Microsoft TLG author so that you can work together.
Joe Davies edited Revision 76. Comment: Added link to new Windows Server "8" beta TLG portal page
Joe Davies edited Revision 75. Comment: New TLG content
Joe Davies edited Revision 74. Comment: New links to extensions and mini-modules section
Thomas W Shinder - MSFT edited Revision 73. Comment: Added Debi's TMG VPN Test Lab Guide Part 1
Joe Davies edited Revision 70. Comment: Link to new FIM/FIM CM portal page
Thomas W Shinder - MSFT edited Revision 69. Comment: Added the planned CORPNET to Internet TLG extension to planning
Joe Davies edited Revision 68. Comment: Sorted list of modular TLGs
Ed Price - MSFT edited Revision 65. Comment: Added TOC and removed white space at bottom.
Thomas W Shinder - MSFT edited Revision 61. Comment: Added Debi's TMG Core Test Lab Guide
Joe Davies edited Revision 60. Comment: Added link to System Center TLG
Joe Davies edited Revision 101. Comment: Added FIM TLG
Joe Davies edited Revision 102. Comment: Added link to new mini-module
Joe Davies edited Revision 103. Comment: Misc formatting