Software (VM Ware) and Hardware recommendation needed 2

[thisisboni]

Hi:

I need to build a test server (Windows server 2008/2003) with Windows AD on it. SQL Server 2008 will also need to reside in that server.

since the main purpose for this is test / education I am looking to use the same box as a windows 7 desktop using some virtualization (VMWare etc...)

I'm looking for some suggestions in terms of
(1) Hardware - what configuration (any brand Dell, HP etc...) I should go for
(2) Which VMWare product should I get (I am a novice in virtualization !!)
(3) what should the order of installs be (i) Server (ii) VMWare (iii) Windows 7

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Nelviticus]

Will you be sitting at this machine and using it, or will you be connecting to it from your normal machine? The following assumes the former.

Personally, if I was using it for desktop duties with the server stuff for learning/testing, I'd install Windows 7 on it as the 'real' OS so it could take full advantage of things like the graphics hardware and use Windows 7's fancy transparency settings. I'd then install Oracle's VirtualBox (the old link

http://www.virtualbox.org/

doesn't seem to be working at the moment) and set up my virtual servers under that.

VirtualBox (or Windows Virtual PC) is more lightweight and easier to set up than VMWare's offerings, not to mention much easier to download. You have to jump through a lot of registration hoops to download VMWare.

If you want to build a server that performs like a server then go with VMWare - it's a hypervisor, which is essentially a tiny lightweight bit of software that you install directly on the bare hardware (before you install an OS) and under which you then install one or more operating systems. Those OS's then have pretty much direct access to the real hardware.

With apps like VirtualBox or Windows Virtual PC, you install them on a machine that already has an OS, just as you would with other applications. The virtual machines then run on emulated hardware.

I hope that makes sense, it's a bit rambling. Basically: for easy set up with slightly reduced performance go for VirtualBox or Windows Virtual PC installed on a normal OS. For best performance but more complicated set up, go for a hypervisor like VMWare ESXi or Windows Server Hyper-V.

As for hardware, if you go the hypervisor route you'll need to check the system requirements of whichever one you use. If you take the other route then any hardware will do but make sure you have bags of memory and a large, fast hard disk (preferably two; one for your 'real' OS and one for your VMs).

Nelviticus

 

[kmcferrin]

As for hardware, if you go the hypervisor route you'll need to check the system requirements of whichever one you use. If you take the other route then any hardware will do but make sure you have bags of memory and a large, fast hard disk (preferably two; one for your 'real' OS and one for your VMs).

That's one major reason why I would use Hyper-V instead of VMware. If it will run Server 2008 then it will run Hyper-V. With VMware you have to jump through hoops for registration and hardware compatibility, and then you have to learn how to use it (which is fine if that is your primary goal, but that doesn't sound like the case here). With Hyper-V you can leverage your existing Windows skills.

I would recommend getting some decent hardware (dual or quad core CPU, minimum of 4GB of RAM). You may also want more than one hard disk in order to minimize I/O contention. Then install Server 2008 on it and enable Hyper-V. Then create separate VMs for your AD server, SQL server, and Windows 7 VM.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Windows 7
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Server Administrator
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator
MCITP:Virtualization Administrator 2008 R2
Certified Quest vWorkspace Administrator

 

[thisisboni]

Thank you guys - I'll give your solutions a whirl and get back with more

 

[xwb]

If you are going for the Core I processors, get the memory in multiples of 3 since they are triple channel.

HPs are a lot cheaper than Dells if you are thinking of Xeon servers. Problem is you now have to think of a rack in which to house them - that is extra. They're perfectly ok sitting on a desk - I've had one next to me for the last 3 months. I will have to sooner or later as I'm quite sure H&S will moan about it.

 

[Nelviticus]

Only the high end Core i processors use triple-channel memory, many of them use dual-channel.

Nelviticus

 

[kmcferrin]

And if you're building something to learn on rather than deploy in a business environment then I would pass on rack-mount servers altogether. Either build a whitebox yourself or get something cheap from Dell like this:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/poweredge-tower-servers?~ck=anav

Just bear in mind that if you do buy a server from Dell or HP (even a very low end one) that it will require the more expensive server memory modules. My choice would be to probably build it myself.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Windows 7
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Server Administrator
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator
MCITP:Virtualization Administrator 2008 R2
Certified Quest vWorkspace Administrator