Im looking at using Virtual PC with a team of BizTalk developers. The idea is to install the dev env (Server 2003, SQL Server, Visual Studio, BizTalk etc) on a virtual PC image, and then each team member uses a copy of the image to develop with.
We have network problems if two or more images with the same computer name are started with network access (to SourceSafe). So I attempted to change the computer name in an image. After a while I managed to do it like this:
Export any information from the BizTalk databases (business rules etc.)
Run ConfigFramework /u
Delete BizTalk jobs in SQL Server Agent
Delete BizTalk logons in SQL Server Security
Delete BizTalk databases
Change computer name
Re-start computer
Change SQL Server Name (with sp_dropserver, sp_addserver)
Run ConfigFramework
Change BizTalkMgmtDB connection in Visual Studio
Change rules engine DB connection in Business Rules Policy Editor
Re-enable BackupBizTalk server DBs job
Add any Hosts and host instances using BizTalk Server Administration
Import information to the BizTalk databases (business rules etc.)
I’m wondering if anyone else is using VPC with a BizTalk team, and has come across this issue, or has any tips. (I’ll post an article here and include any feedback).
Is there a workaround for having multiple VPCs with the same name? And is there an ‘easy’ way to change the name of a BizTalk box?
Update
Another Stockholm BizTalk guy called Ali pointed me to this. Looks like it’s easy to avoid the “world of pain” of re-naming the VM PC, thanks to Dunk (wonder why that never got in the Bloggers Guide??). I’d still be keen to know if the re-naming procedure could be optimised…