Sun VirtualBox practice 3 - Dev Environment on Ubuntu 9.10

The configurations for my personal Dev Environment on Ubuntu 9.10 are pretty straight forward.

Install Ubuntu 9.10 Server

1. download ubuntu-9.10-server-i386.iso from http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download-server based on Alternative download options

2. install Ubuntu 9.10 server (guest) on Windows XP hosted Sun Virtualbox 3.1.2

3. select predefined OpenSSH server and Samba file server collection of software on top of the core system as my Dev environment

Install GNOME GUI in Ubuntu 9.10 Server
  sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

  with 'Y' to continue
  after installed Ubuntu desktop
  sudo shutdown -h -P now

Install Netbeans in Ubuntu 9.10

  sudo apt-get install netbeans
  with 'Y' to continue

Install Eclipse in Ubuntu 9.10

  sudo apt-get install eclipse

  with 'Y' to continue

Install Telnet server in Ubuntu 9.10

  sudo apt-get install xinetd telnetd
  with 'Y' to continue
  sudo vi /etc/inetd.conf to add
  telnet stream tcp nowait telnetd /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/in.telnetd
  sudo vi /etc/xinet.conf to be
  # Simple configuration file for xinetd
  #
  # Some defaults, and include /etc/xinetd.d/


  defaults
  {


  # Please note that you need a log_type line to be able to use log_on_success
  # and log_on_failure. The default is the following :
  # log_type = SYSLOG daemon info
  instances = 60
  log_type = SYSLOG authpriv
  log_on_success = HOST PID
  log_on_failure = HOST
  cps = 25 30
  }


  includedir /etc/xinetfd.d

  restart xinetd service after the Telnet installation

  sudo /etc/init.d/xinetd restart

More display resolution for Ubuntu 9.10 guest on Sun VirtualBox

  Sun VirtualBox -> Devices -> Install Guest Addtions ...
  sudo sh /media/cdrom/VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run
  Full Screen (right Ctrl + F), Seamless Screen (right Ctrl + L) will be available after reboot.

Sun VirtualBox practice 2 - Package Software Testing Automation

Few years ago I was designing, programming some install package software (InstallShield, NSIS and etc based) with the silent install/uninstall feature enabled for few software projects.
A PERL script was also developed for testing the daily build based package software testing automation. The auotmation was configured on a dediccated server and doing install and uninstall on the server everyday. Sometimes, there was a package software defect, then after the analyzing, the defect could easy fixed, which is the purpose of the package software testing automation. But afterwards the server clean up toke some time.
Now using Sun VirtualBox’s VBOXManage command line utility and pre configured clean, fresh Sun VirtualBox guest OS (with snapshot).
It’s a doable solution to design and develop package software testing automation:
1. Use VBOXManage to get a pre configured clean, fresh Platform
2. Attached the the package software to the VirtualBox sharefolder
3. Invoke the silent install/uninstall 
…

Sun VirtualBox practice 1 - A Portable Personal Lab

I use to store my Personal Virtual Lab carrying with VMware workstation edition based guest OS (such as, Windows, Linux and Solaris) on an external hard drive.

With a simple customized customize VMware workstation guest OS Configuration file to the external hard drive, my Personal Lab was able to be easily plugged in and worked on different hosting OS (with same OS type), for instance, simple switch from one Windows XP desktop to one Windows XP laptop (both of hosting OS have the same VMWare workstation edition installed already) and continue your works in the Personal Lab.

This approach has been working with me for many years, did the great job and especially did save my lot of time. Sometimes, you might need a quick Lab testing based on an existing environment (for instance, Windows 2003 SE with SQL 2005), with this approach and VW snapshot, there will be no extra environment setting up time at all.

With the free PUEL (Personal Use and Evaluation License) Sun VirtualBox software, a similar approach could be configured to achieve plugging in and working on a different hosting OS (with same OS type) as below:

1. Open Sun Virtual Box, Sun Virtual Box -> File -> Preferences -> General, change the Default Hard Dish Folder and Default Machine Folder to the external hard drive, for instance,

Note: this configuration should be done on all of hosting OS

2. During Create New Virtual Machine, Save the Virtual Disk Location to the external hard drive, for instance,

3. Always copy the latest version of %UserProfile%\.VirtualBox (VirtualBox.xml is under .VirtualBox folder) to the external hard drive when finish works in the Personal Lab.
Note: this is the key to achieve our goal -- portable Sun VirtualBox guest OS on different hosting OS.
This latest version of .VirtualBox folder (with associated VirtualBox.xml) need be copied back into your new hosting OS under %UserProfile% folder if you do want to switch and also assuming the same version of Sun VirtualBox installed already on the new hosting OS.
4. If Enable Network Adapter is checked, Select an associated Network by simple picking the right one from the drop down list.

Note: All of VirtualBox guest OS should be Power Off.