Virtualization and WHS

[geek-accountant]

I am currently running a WHS and a unRAID server.  I created the unRAID server a while back as my movie collection got too large and duplication protection on the WHS seemed like such a huge waste.  Now I would like to combine all the drives in my Norco 4020 case and have unRAID manage all the storage.  However, there are some things about WHS that I really like and would like to keep.

 

What I would like to do is run my WHS on my Xenserver box, along with a few other VM's and use unRAID as NFS storage.  The unRAID box has  a 1Gbps connection and the Xenserver has a dual bonded 1Gbps connection shared by all the VM's.  WHS will be the only VM to have any decent amount of drive usage.  Before I get to far into this I have a few questions:

 

1.  How reliable will the NFS connection be, in general, and is that good enough to act as a storage repository for several VM's (home environment)?

2.  If I use a cache drive, will the VM's "drive", which is one big file, use the cache file?  If so, will they ever move off since I guess they will always be open and in use by the VM

3.  With my described use, do you think unRAID will be fast enough or will I always be fighting speed issues?  I know, this is some what subjective, just looking for opinions.

4.  If I let the drives spin down, will Xenserver start having issues thinking it has lost the drive?

 

That's it for now, thanks for your help.

 

 

[geek-accountant]

I have set up WHS on my Xenserver using a NFS share on the unRAID box as the storage.  However, the WHS keeps getting delayed write errors and I can't get it to do anything that requires using a disk (like opening a program).  I am writing some files to the unRAID server at the moment so I can understand it being a tad slow, but currently it is completely unusable.

 

I am sure this is most likely something I set up wrong so I am hoping someone can help me.  Let me know what additional information you need (see post above for a few more details).

[geek-accountant]

Still no luck.  Any VM I set up with storage from unRAID using the NFS storage is unable to perform any disk functions.  I can't even get them to open Windows Explorer.

 

I am sure I am doing something wrong, but if this is not going to be pretty rock solid, I need to start making other plans.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

[geek-accountant]

So now I am trying disk shares rather than user shares for the VM's NFS storage.  Are NFS disk shares a better option or is there really no difference for how I am trying to use it?

 

Also, am I posting these questions in the right forum?  Since I haven't received a response yet I am thinking these should be posted in another forum.

[joe90]

most probably because no one here have tried your setup - seems interesting nonetheless

[geek-accountant]

Well, I am still fighting it and now I think I have an unrelated issue.  The Xenserver keeps crashing.  Could be it is having issues with using the unRAID NFS shares for disk or could be an issue solely with the Xenserver.  I don't have a separate I can try this on, so trouble shooting may take a while.

 

When you say no one has tried this before, do you mean using NFS shares as storage for a Virtual server or running WHS on a virtual server with it's disk being unRAID NFS shares, or both?  Do you think my idea is a solution that ultimately will not be workable in the long run?

[geek-accountant]

OK, I am giving up.  Looks like unRAID and Xenserver do not like each other the way I want them too (NFS as storage for VM's), or at least I don't know enough to get it to work.  It's a shame, because it seemed like such a good idea and a great solution for my setup, plus I really like unRAID and just want it to work.

 

Also, how active are the forums here at unRAID?  It could have just been due to the holidays, but I was hoping for a little more input or suggestions or at least someone saying "dude that won't work".

[prostuff1]

Also, how active are the forums here at unRAID?  It could have just been due to the holidays, but I was hoping for a little more input or suggestions or at least someone saying "dude that won't work".

 

The forums are fairly active here and you generally get an answer to your question.

 

I think the problem with your inquire if that not many, if any, are trying to do what you are doing.  If you are having problems you are probably better off looking at the Xenserver forums.

[Joe L.]

Also, how active are the forums here at unRAID?  It could have just been due to the holidays, but I was hoping for a little more input or suggestions or at least someone saying "dude that won't work".

 

The forums are fairly active here and you generally get an answer to your question.

 

I think the problem with your inquire if that not many, if any, are trying to do what you are doing.  If you are having problems you are probably better off looking at the Xenserver forums.

Exactly... we are interested but have no experience to draw upon to offer any help.  You are probably the first/only person attempting what you are attempting, so do not expect a lot of helpful hints from those who have tried before and have been successful.

[geek-accountant]

Thanks guys.  I guess I was just hoping this would work and someone had already figured it out.  Now when you say no one has done it before, are you talking about the WHS part of what I was trying or the whole using unRAID's NFS as remote storage for a virtual server?

 

On another note, I am now thinking part of my problem may be hardware related.  I reinstalled Xenserver and only used local storage and the system still crashed.  I am going to pick up a new motherboard tomorrow (already replaced the PS) and see if that clears it up.  There still may be life left in this test.  Of course I really need this to run rock solid or else it's not really a workable solution.  By themselves, my unRAID and WHS, as well as my other Xenserver running pfSense and Untangle, run rock solid without any issues.