Cheapest way to host ESX 3.0.1!?!?!?

[pblackstock]

I need to run ESX the cheapest way possible for dev reasons. I dont see the point in spending vast amounts of money if I dont have to, because what I run ESX on will never go into production.

So, my question is what is the cheapest way to host ESX?

Has anyone figured out how to run ESX under MS Virtual Server or VMware Workstation?

If not, what is the cheapest route hardware wise that is compatible with ESX 3.0.1? I am not looking for monsterous performance, just usable.

Any feedback would be most appreciated!

[Rockett0]

Take a small server e.g. hp ML110 P4.. put inside

e.g. the intel Dual Core 2.66 CPU and 4G RAM and take

the LSI Megaraid 4port SATA Controller, so you are

able to take big and inexpensive SATA HDDs and got a

pretty good ESX Server.

We´ve got three testmachines, 4G, DualCore 2,66, 1,2

TB each for less than 800.- €

So I take it the onboard SATA raid from the ML110 does not work?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Unless it's based on one of the models listed here, you'll have to add another one.

http://vmprofessional.com/index.php?content=sata_faq

[Max_am]

This could be some valid suggestion:

ESX under $900

Cheap ESX Server: Hardware Recommendations

http://www.vmweekly.com/articles/cheap-esx-server-hardware/1/

[peetz]

I wonder why nobody has posted this answer yet:

It IS possible to run ESX under VMware workstation (version 6).

There is an excellent white paper available here:

http://www.xtravirt.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=75&func=fileinfo&id=11

I tried it myself (successfully), and it works with quite acceptable performance if the CPUs you are using support Intel VT or AMD SVM.

For test/dev environment this is a viable alternative, and probalby the cheapest of all.

\- Andreas