ESXi'ers... some advice if you please?

[kaiguy]

Reading about so many people's experience with ESXi, I'm thinking I'd like to try to virtualize, as I only want to have one server that is on 24/7, but with more (easier? supported?) capability than the slimmed down Slackware that comes with unRAID.  The way I see it is that I have two options:

 

1. Build an entirely new box with all new parts, test it out, then migrate my 100% stable unRAID array over.  The pros would be that I wouldn't lose functionality of unRAID and its probably safer to learn ESXi; the con being I wouldn't be able to use any hardware from my existing unRAID box with the exception of the SASLP and drives.

 

2. Try to "upgrade" my existing server with ESXi-friendly components (new mobo, processor, RAM).  Pro would be chaper, con would be potential to screw things up.

 

Any thoughts?  Recommendations?  I don't think I really require anything overly beefy... just enough to run a relatively vanilla unRAID plus another distro of Linux for Plex, SAB, Crashplan, etc.  Maybe at most 3 total virtual machines, but probably only 2 (unless I'd really be missing out on something that I'm not aware of).  Not really prepared to throw thousands of dollars at this project, but less than 1k?  Sure.

 

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer me some direction and advice.  This will be my first endeavor into true virtualization, and I'm pretty stoked to learn.

[prostuff1]

you can probably use the SASLP, PSU, and RAM.  Everything else will probably have to be new.

 

I would get a new Motherboard and processor along with 2GB of RAM.  the 650 should work as a power supply depending on how may drives you want to support.  If you feel you need a bigger one grab a 750 or so.  Put the new parts all together (new PSU would help in this case) and run memtest for 24 hours.  Make sure all is kosher with the new parts and get use to ESXi, booting from USB, setting up VM's through ESXi and so on.  then transfer stuff over from your working unRAID and so what you need to get unRAID running.

[naxiand]

If someone needs one virtulal machine insnt better To have unraid and virtulal box that will run win server 2011? So no new harware specific for esxi?

 

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[NAS]

If someone needs one virtulal machine insnt better To have unraid and virtulal box that will run win server 2011? So no new harware specific for esxi?

 

Sent from my Optimus 2X using Tapatalk

 

If you are serious about virtualisation ESX is the way to go. Especially since v5 is essentially free for anyone running short of enterprise hardware.

[daniel.boone]

Any thoughts?  Recommendations?  I don't think I really require anything overly beefy... just enough to run a relatively vanilla unRAID plus another distro of Linux for Plex, SAB, Crashplan, etc.  Maybe at most 3 total virtual machines, but probably only 2 (unless I'd really be missing out on something that I'm not aware of).  Not really prepared to throw thousands of dollars at this project, but less than 1k?  Sure.

 

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer me some direction and advice.  This will be my first endeavor into true virtualization, and I'm pretty stoked to learn.

 

Generally I find it easier to get esx/esxi and vsphere working than virtualbox and a management compliment for that system That may not be the case for everyone though.

 

Esxi does have specific hardware requirements and finding that set within unRaid is more costly than a AMD based unRaid system. Those choices get even smaller as you add multiple HBAs.

 

Another consideration is how to cleanly shut down the array when other applications run on unRaid. The more complicated the system the harder to maintain and upgrade.

 

I come from a shop that is 70% virtualized on ESX and tried my hand with virtualbox with my curent unRaid system. In the future I will need to upgrade my motherboard to support multiple controllers. I will probably go esxi then.

 

[kaiguy]

Thanks all for your responses. 

 

As of right now I'm leaning toward picking up a new Supermicro mobo with IPMI, a decent quad core server processor, ECC RAM (necessary?), and one or two datastore drives.  I think that should get me where I need to be, incorporating my other existing hardware and hopefully only having a day or two without my unRAID data while I test the upgraded server... sound about right?

[ashaneil]

Thanks all for your responses. 

 

As of right now I'm leaning toward picking up a new Supermicro mobo with IPMI, ...... ECC RAM (necessary?)

 

If you are selecting Supermicro X8SIL-F-o or X9SCM-F-O, then they only take ECC memory. I don't know about other Supermicro motherboards.

 

2 more things to pay attention / consider:

1. Do you want to get 1155 (X9SCN-F-O) (newer) or 1156 (X8SIL-F-O) (older) socket?

2. When buying ECC memory, make sure you get the right one. X8SIL uses both unbuffered and registered ECC memory while X9SCM only uses unbuffered.

 

I personally picked X9SCM-F-O and Intel Xeon E3-1230 CPU and Kingston 2x4Gb RAM. However, I have not built my machine yet since I am still waiting on parts to show up.

 

Also, make sure you read up on Johnm's ATLAS My Virtualized unRAID server post.

 

Good Luck!

[daniel.boone]

I believe the memory type on the X8SIL-F depends on the processor type. I'm leaning toward the X9SCM myself. Both are great boards.

[kaiguy]

I went with the X9SCM-F-O paired with an E3-1230.  I probably should have done a bit more research whether or not ESXi is good for running Plex and transcoding.  The processor should be fine, but its just a matter of how many vCPUs I pass, I assume.  Now I need to decide if I'm going to run it on a Linux VM or Win 7... decisions decisions.

 

Thanks everyone!

[ashaneil]

I don't know any thing about Plex but a look at Plex website (http://www.plexapp.com/pms-download.php) shows the recommended configuration:

 

Recommended configuration - For transcoding HD Content (720p and 1080p):

  • A Windows XP SP3 PC with an 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor or better

  • At least 2GB RAM

 

Since it will work fine on Windows XP, I would personally try Windows XP before Windows 7 since Windows XP is way gentler as far as resources are concerned.