Refurbished Server Specifications for VMware Virtualization..

[TryllZ]

Hi,

I'm looking into buying a refurbished server for practising VMware virtualization (basically building a home datacenter with 1 vCenter, 2 or more clusters with 3-4 ESXi  per cluster, and at least about 10-20 VMs (things like 2 Windows Server, 1 SQL Server, 1 Exchange Server, 5-10 Windows 10 end-clients) and to practise vMotion, DRS, FT, and then add on top of that NSX for network virtualization). I have the following specs in mind.

1 x AMD EPYC 7xxx Series OR Intel Xeon E5-2630 v4 - any speed between 2.20 to 2.50 GHz 16C (I am looking into boards with 2 CPU sockets but only using 1 socket for now)

4 x 1.2TB SAS 10K/15K 2.5"

Integrated NIC 1Gb 2 or 4 port

Raid10 with 2GB Cache Module Controller

16GB/32GB ECC RAM- Total up to 96GB or 112GB

Anyone one having any suggestions from any aspect of having a home server, and their experiences that might help.

Thanks.

[TryllZ]

As I have been working on VMware workstation so I feel the specs of the server might be an overkill, I need advise on that and whether 2CPU are better than 1, would 64GB be enough for a home data center ?

[nachogonzalez]

Hey, hope you are doing fine:

I wouldn't use AMD Processors for servers, ( I have seen only a few in my years) but that's just my opinion.
Regarding hardware specs:

You can check here if everything is compatible

VMware Compatibility Guide - System Search

If something like a NIC is not compatible you can install drivers into the iso by using image builder
Customizing Installations with vSphere ESXi Image Builder

If you want to check vSphere 7 be very careful sine vsphere 7 does not use vmklinux drivers and you might encounter a rain of PSOD's

Hope this works

[TryllZ]

Thanks for the information, appreciate the help.

[IRIX201110141]

Go for a Dell PowerEdge 12,13,15 Generation or HPE Proliant 8,9,10 Gen and a HW Raid Controller aka PERC or SmartArray.

Regards,
Joerg

[TryllZ]

Thanks to all for the input.

What I wanted to know was whether if VMware HCL list showing a processor, for example, E5-2650 V2, supporting vSphere 6.5 be able to run vSphere 6.7 or higher, or can this be only known after attempting an install.

To keep the cost down I want to buy an older CPU and run vSphere 6.7 on it but as above, the processor series shows support only for 6.5U3 but when I go for buying servers it shows as tested for vSphere 7.

Thanks.

[sjesse]

Being on the HCL means if you have support and it doesn't work vmware will help,  it doesn't mean the server won't work. Alot of people use intel nuc machines for labs, and they aren't supported or on the HCL, but work for the most part.

Take a look at for a decent list of home lab resources

https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/home-lab

one of which is a survey that was done in the last year showing what people use for there homelabs

GitHub - lamw/homelab: VMware Community Homelabs