Maximum Linux guest sizes in PROD

[JonRoderick]

I'm looking for feedback on the kinds of Linux guests ppl are running in PROD on ESX 3.5/4.

Are you limiting them to 2 vCPUs?

How much RAM are you using? Is this a big consideration for vmotion events?

Thanks.

[AndreTheGiant]

I use the less resource I can.

Usually 1 vCPU for most services (2 with Java application or MySQL/PostgresQL with high load).

For memory I start from 1 GB (Linux is more aggressive on memory). For some services like DNS also less memory (640M).

No GUI, but VMware Tools always installed.

IMHO I prefer scale out instead of scale in. So more "small" Linux VMs instead of few huge VMs.

Andre

[DSTAVERT]

Test in your environment to determine what the VMs actually need. I totally agree with Andre about small dedicated VMs rather than a few larger ones. Split out services to individual VMs. It is far easier to balance ESX Host loads.

[JonRoderick]

Thanks to both for your replies - I'm happy with the concept of starting small and sizing appropriately - spent 3 years telling our users this! What I'm really hoping to find out is the sizes of the largest Linux guests ppl are running in PROD. Maybe ppl aren't running large linux VMs, I don't know....

Cheers

Jon

[DSTAVERT]

In a physical world there are certainly cost savings in creating monolithic machines. One machine many services, many users, etc. You sized a machine using different criteria and perhaps oversizing just to prevent possibly being undersized sometime in the future. Virtualization changes so many things. It is possible to, sorry to use this but, right size a machine for it's current load. In the future it is simple to add or remove RAM and CPU resources should the needs change and without even shutting down the machine.

If necessary it is possible with the right licensing to create a monster. Check the VM maximums.