Hardware choice: 4 single core 32bit Xeon CPU or 2 single core 64bit Xeon CPU?

[cinghiuz]

Hi there!

I'm quite a newby with virtualization, I did some tests on a HP Proliant DL380 G3 server with serveral products and I'm really satisfied about ESXi.

Now I would like to build a server with 4 virtual machine: 3 of them will use 3 different Linux distributions and 1 will use Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 32bit edition. One of these machine will be used as a VoIP PBX.

I've got 3 servers available:

- HP Proliant DL560 G1, with 4 x 32bit 3Ghz Xeon CPUs with HyperThreading, FSB 533Mhz, 4MB L3 cache, 8GB DDR RAM, 2x146GB HD, Raid 64MB

- IBM xSeries 346 8840, with 2 x 64bit 3Ghz Xeon CPUs with HyperThreading, FSB 800Mhz, 2MB L2 cache, 8GB DDR II RAM, 3x73GB HD, Raid 256MB

- IBM xSeries 346 8840, with 2 x 64bit 3.2Ghz Xeon CPUs with HyperThreading, FSB 800Mhz, 2MB L2 cache, 8GB DDR II RAM, 2x146GB HD, Raid 256MB

I'm wondering if I will have the best results with a dual single core but 64bit CPU server or with a quad single core 32bit CPU server.

I browsed this community and I found several experiences posted by users, but I didn't understand wich could be the best solution

Thanks to everybody that will help me!!

Cinghiuz

[LarsLiljeroth]

Hi

I would choose the x64 bit hardware as that is the only supported from vSphere.

So go for the 2 ibm servers.

br

Lars

-

---

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

[cinghiuz]

Hi Lars,

i followed your suggestion and I confirm that ESXi 4.0 works fine on the IBM xSeries 346 server.

Thank you very much again!

Kindest regards,

Cinghiuz

[LarsLiljeroth]

Hi

Good to hear it works well.. vSphere rules

// Lars Liljeroth

-

---

*If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!