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WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
#342767 03/21/11 10:43 PM
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fredk Offline OP
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I need to learn a lot more about the guts of Windows server.

My current knowledge consists of what I picked up from our former corporate IT guys and from what limited access I have to our local servers at work. For some reason they don't want me poking around in AD at work.

So, the plan is to build a server at home where I can break it as much as I want without upsetting anyone.

Since we are setting up some virtualized servers here, I figure I need to look into this at some point as well.

Since this server will not be under much load, I should be able to get away with a desktop CPU, but how much CPU and memory do I really need.

I also don't know that I really need raid 5 capability.

So, any suggestions from the server guru's here would be appreciated.


Fred

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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
fredk #342769 03/21/11 10:52 PM
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Depends whether you're doing virtualization or not. Add virtualization in, and suddenly you need a lot more CPU and a TON more RAM. I don't think you need RAID to play with at home.


I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
Ken.C #342772 03/21/11 11:13 PM
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fredk Offline OP
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I figured virtualization would up the requirements.

Are more cores better in this scenario? I was thinking of an AMD Phenom II X6.


Fred

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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
Ken.C #342773 03/21/11 11:16 PM
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If you're only virtualizing one server on that home computer, then you don't need much more RAM or CPU than an equivalent physical server would require. The biggest issue is that the system that runs the virtual machines itself requires CPU and RAM. The least resource-intensive solution is probably something like the free VMware vSphere Hypervisor.

This product gets installed on the physical computer, you then interact with it via an admin console which helps you get VMs running on it.

Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
pmbuko #342776 03/21/11 11:27 PM
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fredk Offline OP
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The plan is to learn in two stages. The first is to understand AD better, and to get my feet wet setting up a DC, WSUS and the like.

The second stage would be to set up a second virtualized server to understand trust relationships between servers and to understand how DC replication works. Understanding virtualization along the way is an added bonus.


Fred

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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
fredk #342779 03/21/11 11:42 PM
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If you are virtualizing you will need two computers. The one running the hypervisor can not be interacted with directly. The one running the management software doesn't really have to have much power though. So any machine you have laying around will do.


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Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
ClubNeon #342783 03/21/11 11:49 PM
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Maybe even one of these.


Sorry.

Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
CatBrat #342784 03/21/11 11:50 PM
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fredk Offline OP
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Hmm, blocked. It must be kitty porn.


Fred

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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
ClubNeon #342786 03/21/11 11:52 PM
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fredk Offline OP
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Chris, I presume I can run the console on one of the computers on the network?


Fred

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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: WIndows Server Hardware Recommendations
fredk #342787 03/21/11 11:54 PM
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Aaaabsolutely!


I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
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