Is it possible to boot an ISO inside a VM/similar which is inside another VM when nested virtualization is not enabled?

Question

Context:

• I have a Windows Server 2022 VM where Jenkins generates nightly builds.

• Jenkins checks out the repository and produces an ISO file as an artifact.

• I need to boot that ISO and run an automated test script (e.g., /mnt/workspace_devel/test/test_run.sh) inside the OS that starts from the ISO.

• Nested virtualization is not enabled (IT policy)

Previous setup:

• In a previous environment where Windows was not virtualized, we used VMware Workstation Player to attach the ISO and run tests successfully.

• Now, IT has confirmed that nested virtualization is not allowed in the current environment

Questions:

1. Is there any way to install VMware Player, VirtualBox, or similar virtualization software inside this Windows Server VM to boot the ISO?

2. If not, what are practical alternatives to:

   • Boot the ISO in a headless manner,

   • Run the test script automatically,

   • Integrate this process into the Jenkins pipeline?

Details:

• Guest OS (where Jenkins runs): Windows Server 2022.

• ISO contains the OS we want to validate (Linux-based).

• Full automation is required (no manual GUI interaction).

Goal: Create a CI/CD flow where:

1. Jenkins builds the ISO,

2. Boots it in a VM or emulator,

3. Executes the test script,

4. Collects artifacts (e.g., test_report.html, test_run.log).

What I’ve considered:

• Alternatives like QEMU without hardware acceleration (slow, but possible?).

• Using Docker, does it make sense?

• Ramhound: You should be able to start a VM, provided you enable nested virtualization, with an ISO contained within a VM to start a VM. What you cannot do is start that VM, on the host, while the ISO is contained within another VM unless you were to mount the virtual HDD which of course require that VM to be turned off. If you cannot enable nested virtualization then what you want is not possible.
• tail: @Ramhound Nested virtualization should be enabled by IT, right? They said it is not possible to do that
• Ramhound: As for being unable to enable nested virtualization, beng true, I don't know the reason, your IT Administrator wants it off. You should ask your IT Administrator to achieve you in this quest. Doing something unauthorized on work hardware would get anyone at my employment instantly fired.
• Ramhound: If you cannot enable nested virtualization then you cannot run a VM within a VM. Windows Server 2022 supports WSL. I would not enable it without the IT Administrator's support of course. "Using Docker, does it make sense?" - Docker isn't virtualization. So what it makes no sense to use Docker.
• music2myear: You should probably be talking to your IT folks. They will have controls on your system we are not aware of, and they will be responsible to ensure your system meets your work requirements.