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koksieboy
Contributor
Contributor

VMware Server ESx 3.5 Recommendation

Hi all,

I'm designing a new infrastructure for a startup SMB. The requirement is for 1x Domain Controller, 1x Exchange 2003 Server, 1x File Server, 2x Applications servers. All servers are to run Windows Server 2003 to support 50 users. Cost is a big issue and I'm recommending to take advantage of Virtualization using 2 x Dell PE 2950 servers as hosts. I would appreciate recommendation for hardware configuration (CPU, RAM, Storage), VMWare Licensing Option and strategy to provide optimum redundancy.

Thanks in advance for your kind contribution.

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JTowner
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Contributor

So there's this big mid point in pricing you're missing - Foundation / Starter is ~$1,500 for 2 proc's. If you can get them to swing for it, get the Foundation Starter Kit - 6 proc's + VC for ~$3,700. The reason for the Starter / Foundation is that the product is a little more refined in it's approach, and it comes with the VC License. If you do end up with 2 servers, VC will make life easier. You will have to call Dell to build a quote with them - those products aren't listed on their site. Don't skimp on this if you're worried about uptime.

Now as for the single point of failure, is it a cost they can deal with? Is this only for their internal use or is it a public facing machine? Buying 2 servers does not give you better uptime, unless you're going with a dual controller SAN setup. Think of your layout being a RAID0 and a single server as a "single drive". Murphy says that you're twice as likely to have a failure on the RAID0, but that doesn't stop gamers from doing it (they hopefully have better backup habits). To properly do 2 servers you need to do a SAN, to do a SAN doubles the initial outlay, and you really do need VC at that point.

As for backup, get a desktop machine and toss in a few big sata/usb/firewire drives. Backup to tape is for "archival" or "offsite" purposes, it's slower than disk, and you can't use it for something like a vmsnap or a ESXpress target for VM backups. If getting things offsite is big, use external disks, or do a "duplicate" job. Also, you don't want your backups to "hang" while waiting for a tape.

As for Dell - check out the MD3000 - they have a DAS to SAN plan for it, I think. That way on the server itself do RAID1 for your OS install, and the DAS for your VM's. When you're ready, replace the controllers to go to iSCSI.

Remember, 12 people, and looking in the server room that has a $30,000 implementation that's at 2% utilization may cause bad feelings.

-Joe

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koksieboy
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Joe,

Taking into consideration your suggestions would you say the list below is a good suggestion?

1. Build a single ESX Server with Starter/Foundation kit with the server configuration below for the VMs.

Dell PE 2950III (2.8GHz Quad Core/16GB RAM, 6x300GB 15k SAS Drives, DRAC.)

2.Build a second server with scaled down config below to use for backing up and also use to be used in case the ESX Server has severe hardware fault (for instance if the ESX Host has a motherboard failure, I can easily move the RAID drives hosting the VMs & RAM to the second 2950 to minimise downtime).

Dell PE 2950III (2.0GHz Quad Core/2GB RAM, 3x30GB 15k SAS Drives, DRAC. 6x500GB SATA external array)

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dennes
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

If cost is an issue then you should look at the Accelleration Kits. The HA Accelleration kit provides 2 VMWare ESX3.5 Standard licenses, VC Foundation and thus provides HA. You don't get VMotion, but HA is enough to get redundancy in your setup (2 hosts). It costs about EUR 5000,-.

If you want to create a single server setup, just get ESX3.5 Foundation (Starter) and use the included VCB to backup the VM's to a physical box you have laying around. Create a scheduled batch file to copy the vmdks to a couple of external usb disks, swap them every day and you're done.

Dennes

Message was edited by: dennes

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JTowner
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If hardware failure is the big issue, then you can get a parts kit for the Dell, and go forward with that. Doing internal disks for a RAID you're looking to move to another server as a recovery method isn't in your best interest. Do 2 disks internally and do the rest externally. The MD1120 may work for you, but the MD3000 can be split in half, SAS for your VMs and SATA for your backups, using SAS to connect to the server. But once you do that, you're so close to iSCSI SAN. This becomes a budget question really quick.

Don't forget to add in a NIC or two.

Doing the HA start kit again is going to require a dual controller SAN. The MSA's used to be the joke, but I am looking at the MSA2012fc as tier 1 disk. Unfortunatly there isn't anything "cheaper" thats FC with SAS disks (LSI rebranded boxes from Sun and IBM aren't ideal to me). If you wanted to look into it, see if you can cluster together 2 of the Lefthand VSA VM's.

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dennes
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Not meaning to hijack this thread, but are there any good SMB orientated SAN's out there. I'm currently quoting a client with th MSA 2012i (iSCSI) in a basic HA setup with 2 ESX hosts and would love to hear of any decent SAN in the 5K range from other suppliers.

Are those virtualized storage solutions (Lefthand / Datacore) a viable alternative?

Dennes

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koksieboy
Contributor
Contributor

Joe,

You've finally solved my problem! I never realised there are server repair kits, with that I'm very confident of running the system on one physical servers. I'm also going for the VMware Foundation Acceleration kit with Platinum support. Thanks to everyone that has contributed, God bless you all!!!!!

Tee

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krival96
Contributor
Contributor

Also recommend to have Quad Port Gigabit NIC, this will give you 6 (2 onboard) NICs in total.

We use vmadmin utility for replication of vm's to DR host.

kris

kris http://www.vdi.co.nz
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korman
Contributor
Contributor

What is your budget for this implementation? Ball Park number?

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korman
Contributor
Contributor

Interesting.... Where can you buy a parts kit for a new Dell?

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