For even the most frugal geek, one computer is just never enough. With new Linux distributions to be installed and new servers to be configured on a weekly basis, it just isn't practical to do it all on one computer. But even if you feel compelled to set up your own lab, maybe you just don't have the cash around to by four or five brand new systems. If that sounds familiar, I have a few solutions for you to consider.

A Virtual Lab

By far, the cheapest solution is to create a virtual lab. This will require only a single PC and some sort of software such as VMWare or Virtual PC. If your host OS (the one you will use the most) is Linux, you'll probably want to go with VMWare. If your host OS is the MacOS, you'll probably want to go with Virtual PC. If you are in Windows, either one will work. The software you install will dedicate a portion of memory, drive space, and processing to each virtual machine as needed. These settings can be tweaked to your liking if you prefer.

Benefits

• Only one PC is required
• Virtual machines can be moved from one machine to another
• Virtual machines work on virtual hardware, so there is no driver-hunting to do

Drawbacks

• Since the processor is being shared, it will need to be fast
• The more virtual machines you run, the more drive space and memory you will need

Using a KVM Switch

If you have the hardware available but don't have the space or money for monitors, keyboards, and mice, you may want to invest in a KVM switch. A KVM switch allows a keyboard, video display, and mouse to be shared between multiple computers. If you go this route, be sure not to buy one of the cheaper KVM switches available as they will only work after rebooting thanks to the limits of PS/2 and serial interfaces.

Benefits

• Multiple processors are being used
• Makes it easy to configure servers that don't need a monitor

Drawbacks

• Requires space for multiple cases
• If the room isn't well-ventilated, it's going to be very warm

Using VNC

If you are too cheap to buy a KVM switch or your lab will be spread around the house, you can use VNC. VNC is software used primarily for remote administration and has been ported for most OSs. By installing a VNC server on each computer, you can log in to each as needed and have several desktops displayed on your screen at once. This all will require the computers to be networked, but you were probably planning on doing that anyway.

Benefits

• Computers can be in different rooms
• Multiple desktops can be displayed at once
• VNC is free

Drawbacks

• Requires a working network
• Requires a VNC server running on each system