[dba-VB] Create and Use a Virtual Hard Disk on Windows 7 and Windows 8

Hi All --

Do you use Virtual Hard Disks on real computers and on VMs as e.g. it is described in the following article:

"Create and Use a Virtual Hard Disk on Windows 7"
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ee872416.aspx

?

 I wonder wouldn't using virtual hard disks result in some (significant) performance hits especially when  virtual hard disks will be shared on host computer to use them from VMs via "Map Network Drive" feature?

Thank you.

-- Shamil