Configuring the Lab

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

In the test lab, configure test stations that can be independently managed and scheduled. If enough computers are available, include at least two workstations in each test station to support side-by-side testing. Configure one with the operating system that is currently deployed and one with the new operating system. If you do not have enough computers for each test station, provide a separate group of computers running the current operating system that you can assign as needed.

If you plan to deploy Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003 by performing system upgrades rather than clean installations, you need to test how applications behave on the new operating system without reinstalling them. To test, include a workstation that is running your current version of the operating system in each test station, so that you can install each application before you upgrade to the new operating system.

Provide each test station with its own dedicated monitor, keyboard, and mouse. To isolate problems that might occur at a test station, configure each one so that it can be detached quickly from the rest of the test network, for example, by unplugging a cable or making a programmatic change. Provide access to peripheral devices such as printers and scanners, so that testers can test the full functionality of applications.

To facilitate testing, configure the workstations with the following features:

  • Enable auditing to monitor permission failures. Because the default settings for Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 are more secure than those in earlier versions of Windows, it is not uncommon for an application to fail because permissions are invalid, especially when the application is installed or when it accesses files. Use the audit log and the event log to identify permissions that need to be changed to allow an application to be installed and to run. For more information about the event log and audit log, see Event Viewer overview in Help and Support Center for Windows Server 2003.

  • **Enable crash dump files in Dr. Watson.**Crash dump files are binary files that capture the contents of memory when a fatal error occurs. Crash dump files can be loaded into a debugger. For information about configuring Dr. Watson to enable crash dump files, see "Using Dr. Watson" in Help and Support Center for Windows XP Professional.

Mirror the corporate domain structure in the lab, and duplicate user rights for both the domain and the workstations. If you plan to use Group Policy settings in your new environment, implement those policies in the lab.

As a rule, try to duplicate resources such as databases and client/server applications in the lab. If you cannot duplicate some resources, such as mainframe databases, and therefore need to access them over the corporate network, plan how to regulate and control the connection, and devise a quick way to terminate it if that becomes necessary.

As a best practice, rebuild the workstations and, possibly, the servers before testing each application. This approach minimizes the possibility of introducing problems that are not related to application compatibility and helps testers identify problems. To ensure a consistent starting point and to reduce setup time, use scripts or computer images to rebuild the workstations. Your baseline image should include your organization’s core applications so that as you test each application, you also test for possible negative interactions between applications.

For more information about designing and configuring a test lab, see "Designing a Test Environment" in this book.