Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 888794 contains the following summary:
A virtual hosting environment lets you run multiple operating systems on a single computer at the same time. Host software virtualizes resources that include the following:
| • | CPU |
| • | Memory |
| • | Disk |
| • | Network |
| • | Local devices |
By virtualizing these resources on a physical computer, host
software lets you deploy test operating systems, development environments, and
programs on fewer physical computers. However, a domain controller that runs in
a virtual hosting environment has restrictions that a domain controller that runs on a
physical computer does not have.
This article discusses the considerations when a
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server-based domain controller or a Microsoft Windows
Server 2003-based domain controller runs in a virtual hosting environment. Virtual
hosting environments include the following, among others:
| • | Microsoft Virtual PC |
| • | Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 |
| • | EMC VMware |
