Why Build?
For any inspiring professional wanting to break into the tech field, you have to learn and perform your craft quickly.
I’ve learned over time the fastest way to upskill for a technical IT craft is going straight to the hands-on portion combined with visual aids like reading and watching videos. Doing these projects and documenting the process in GitHub or other websites helps showcase your skills.
Environments
- Compute Node
- Software based Hypervisor (a.k.a Virtualization software)
- Operating Systems in ISO format
1. Install Virtualization Software
I recommend using VMware Player as the virtualization software. It has a simple user interface, and the free version provides all the required tools to get started. Download VMware Player directly from VMware’s Website
2. Download the Operating System
There are multiple ways to download an operating systems. For Microsoft, navigate to their evaluation website. For Linux systems, navigate to CentOS (RedHat distribution) or Ubuntu (Debian distribution) website.
3. Deploy the Virtual Machine
Once the operating system is downloaded, deploy the virtual machine using the recommended system requirements.
Example of a running Cyber Range Lab
Below is the topology of my current lab, I always recommend writing down your network diagram. It’s helps you troubleshoot issues and is a real-world skill for IT jobs. A quick plug to diagrams.net for offering a solid open source diagram web tool. 
My Cyber Range Lab Setup