We need to create a lab environment where we can spin up the following to help train people how to use HyperV with our applications.

Each student will need:
2 HyperV systems
each system will have 4 Windows Server 2012 R2 VMs on it.

The 2 hosts need to be virtual so that we can duplicate them and grow with scale depending on the number of students in the class.

However at this time it looks like HyperV cannot be a role installed on a VM that is hosted by VMware host or HyperV host. At least not in a supported state.

We're not sure how else we're supposed to train our staff on using HyperV in the field. It can't just be basic HyperV training that is already out there.

Is there any product out there where you can create a virtual machine that runs HyperV and then inside that VM which is now a virtual host, run four other VMs?

Since Microsoft and VMware both don't officially support running nested HyperV I'm not sure where to look.

Forget nested Hyper-V and try to device better liable solution to your lab environment.

Rgds

Milos

Why do you need two for each, why not just have two host that everyone uses, or you could use some physical windows 8.1 pro machines with the hyperv role installed. Unless it's because of location based training a host is a host regardless of how many VM's are on it, once installed they require little to no interaction.

You can run Hyper-V nested in ESXi. http://www.veeam.com/blog/nesting-hyper-v-with-vmware-workstation-8-and-esxi-5.html

But, you're going to need some decent hardware to run nested VMs, definitely want SSDs.  There is talk that Hyper-V Next will be able to do this, I have not tried this though.

You're probably going to see some strange behavior and possibly some serious performance issues, since you're going with 3 levels of virtualization. You'll also be on your own if things break since you won't be in a supported scenario for Hyper-V.

• Marked as answer by AnnaWYMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator 1 hour 50 minutes ago

Thanks everyone.

We go from site to site training users on basic Hyper-V administration and how it interacts with VMs that run our product. it is not feasilble to ship hardware everywhere we go nor is it feasible to require them to fly to us. The goal was to have an environment accessible from anywhere that users could do this on.

Our hope is to not have to procure a server or desktop farm to accommodate each student.

@Steve - thanks for the link. I'll look into that.

The other thing we were going to look into was finding a hosting provider who does this. How else do people from virtual classrooms learn Hyper-V?

HyneSite does lots and lots of Hyper-V and other Windows training - all via Hyper-V.  Microsoft Virtual Academy does similar.  Their classes will install Hyper-V in a VM, but just to teach the management interface, not to run VMs.  If you want to teach physical things, you need physical hardware.  Yes, you can go the VMware route, but then you need to remember to teach all VMware's caveats and live with the slowness.

I've taught classes where a crate of laptops were shipped from site to

Hi ANDDITGUY,

Since we have not heard from you for a while, I assume that this issue is solved.

I will mark a reply as an answer, if there is any update on this issue, please feel free to post back, we will notice and follow up this thread.

If you have any feedback on our support, please click here.

Best Regards,

Anna Wang

TechNet Community Support