Question about KVM and multi monitor

[JorgeB]

I want to try the KVM possibilities of Unraid and I’m considering if I can replace 3 PCs with one, my main Unraid server and my Windows Server 2012 R2 that are always on and my main win10 desktop, which I don’t use for gaming.

 

Before I consider what I would need in terms of hardware I have a question, the Win10 Desktop is connected to 3 monitors using the i5 GPU to drive two of them and a Geforce 210 for the other, from what I read in the forum although my i5-3570 is VT-D capable it’s not possible to pass-through the iGPU so I would need something like a GTX750 to drive the 3 monitors, I’m I correct?

 

[archedraft]

I want to try the KVM possibilities of Unraid and I’m considering if I can replace 3 PCs with one, my main Unraid server and my Windows Server 2012 R2 that are always on and my main win10 desktop, which I don’t use for gaming.

 

Before I consider what I would need in terms of hardware I have a question, the Win10 Desktop is connected to 3 monitors using the i5 GPU to drive two of them and a Geforce 210 for the other, from what I read in the forum although my i5-3570 is VT-D capable it’s not possible to pass-through the iGPU so I would need something like a GTX750 to drive the 3 monitors, I’m I correct?

 

Correct, FWIW I saw this 750 on sale with rebate for $60. I was almost tempted to get it to replace my old 8800GT but from reading the reviews I may be able to get it for $45 - $50 so I decided to hold off.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127782

[JorgeB]

Thanks for the answer, I have just one more question, I tried but didn't find the answer in the forum.

 

Can I use different Sata ports from the same controller for different VMs? i.e., I would need a total of 13 ports, but do I have to have 3 different controllers, one for Unraid and one each for each VM or can I have two controllers and select which sata ports to use in a VM?

 

[archedraft]

Can I use different Sata ports from the same controller for different VMs? i.e., I would need a total of 13 ports, but do I have to have 3 different controllers, one for Unraid and one each for each VM or can I have two controllers and select which sata ports to use in a VM?

 

It's unclear to me if you are just asking if multiple VM's can be run on the same sata controller or if you mean that you want to pass through the sata controllers to each VM?

 

If #1 then yes you can run multiple VM's on the same sata controller because you are just creating a disk image on your hard drive and it doesn't depend on the controller.

 

If #2 and you plan on passing through a sata controller to the VM (no sure why you would want to do this?) then you could only pass through one sata controller to a single VM and then that VM would have access to the entire sata controller. At that point unRAID will no longer see that controller.

[JorgeB]

Thanks again for the answer, I’ll try to explain what I mean, sorry but English is not my first language.

 

I was asking because for my Windows 2012 Server VM I will need more than one physical disk, e.g., I understand I create a disk image for the OS on a SSD and can maybe replace some of its disks by writing directly to a Unraid share but I will need at least one more disk for the windows client computer backups, as far as I know it can’t be a network disk, so is it possible to create a second disk image on a different disk that is seen by Windows Server as a local disk?

 

Same for my win10 desktop, it has 3 SSDs that I’d still want to use in the VM as individual disks.

 

I guess the best way to understand how this works is to try it, which I plan to do next weekend.

 

[archedraft]

Thanks again for the answer, I’ll try to explain what I mean, sorry but English is not my first language.

 

I was asking because for my Windows 2012 Server VM I will need more than one physical disk, e.g., I understand I create a disk image for the OS on a SSD and can maybe replace some of its disks by writing directly to a Unraid share but I will need at least one more disk for the windows client computer backups, as far as I know it can’t be a network disk, so is it possible to create a second disk image on a different disk that is seen by Windows Server as a local disk?

 

Same for my win10 desktop, it has 3 SSDs that I’d still want to use in the VM as individual disks.

 

I guess the best way to understand how this works is to try it, which I plan to do next weekend.

 

For example, lets say you create 3 disk images, Disk1.img, Disk2.img and Disk3.img. Once you create your Windows 2012 server VM you would probably make Disk1.img its main boot disk. Then after it's installed you could give it access to Disk2.img and Disk3.img for backups and it *should* see them a harddrives. Or you could (in theory, as I have never tired this) pass through one of your sata controllers to your Windows 2012 VM and all harddrives attached to the controller will only be seen by the Windows 2012 server.

[JorgeB]

Ok, that's what I wanted to know.  Thanks.