Home Server (1 Viewer)

[darkeros]

I'm looking to set up a home server and wanted to see if anyone's knowledgable about the hardware needed to cheaply set one up, but still last 4-5 years into the future without being horribly outdated.

What I wanna do:

1.) Virtualize 4 OS's using XenServer Express
A.) 1 OS is for NFS/Workstation Backups
B.) 1 OS is for Web Apps
C.) 1 OS is for Developing Apps
D.) 1 OS is for Running Gaming Apps(ex. Teamspeak) and Emulated Servers

2.) Have about 1 TB on 3 drives, 2 mirrored in raid 1(2 mirrored will be used for NFS/Backups)

3.) Have 4 512mb Ram Sticks


That's the main idea, but what I really want is this to be the start of a larger infrastructure that will eventually have SAN devices and 2-3 more servers. This server will need to be able to hold me over on these needs until I can finish my infrastructure in the next 4-5 years. I prefer not to use rack enclosures, but would rather go for a rack than end up having 3-4 huge server boxes in my closet.

This is what I'm looking at getting, so if anybody's been in the market and can help guide me, it'd be much appreciated. I'm not looking for high-end parts. I just want to get what I need and have dependable parts that will last a long time.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Kukmuk]

I used to run lots of rack mount equipment at home until a few months go when I virtualized everything.

1.) Virtualize 4 OS's using XenServer Express

I have never heard of that particular host software, however, I use Microsoft Virtual Server R2 (it is free now) and I have also used VMWare Server (also free), and just to throw it in I have managed a server cluster on Virtual Iron (crap). My personal suggestion is Virtual Server R2 because of the beautiful web interface from any IE browser you can manage the console of a virtual machine.

A.) 1 OS is for NFS/Workstation Backups
B.) 1 OS is for Web Apps
C.) 1 OS is for Developing Apps
D.) 1 OS is for Running Gaming Apps(ex. Teamspeak) and Emulated Servers

Not a bad architecture to aim for, however do realize that each virtual machine will need ram to be dedicated to it to start with. This ram will be sucked up by your virtual server software and only usable by that virtual machine. Having 4 tiny virtual servers that don't perform many functions is very inefficient; especially only having 2gb of ram on the host machine, leave 512mb for host, that leaves 1.5gb left / 4 = 375mb ram each =(

I would suggest something like the following:
1) 2 Virtual Machines
a) "VirtServer" - Web Apps, Game Apps, Emulated Servers
b) "VirtUtility" - Development, Fileserver (NFS / Backups, later iSCSI SAN host)

2.) Have about 1 TB on 3 drives, 2 mirrored in raid 1(2 mirrored will be used for NFS/Backups)

Another thing I normally recommend for hard drive architecture (there really is a LOT to doing this) is that home servers use more Raid 5. Raid 1 you will lose 50% of the drive space, whereas Raid 5 you will only lose the equivalent of 1 drive from the finished array. Both will support 1 drive failure and continue to run without problems. I would suggest 3 500gb drives in a Raid 5 configuration, thus giving you 1TB of storage, then carve that into at least 4 partitions (in the Raid controller of course), host OS, VirtServer OS, VirtUtility OS, Data Storage. I usually give my virtual machines about 50gb for OS drives and map a data drive through them later on. Keep the virtual OS drives clean and lean, dont clutter them up with 10mb installs like you would your gaming rig (I dont know if you do this, but unfortunately I end up doing it).

3.) Have 4 512mb Ram Sticks

I would suggest using Server2003 as your host OS or at least Vista and running at least 4gb of Ram if you can afford it (DDR2 is extremely cheap, I got 4gb of AData ram for 49.99).

Now, here is what I run myself...

• Opteron 165 (I have had it a while and its kind of old, but still a hot chip with good throughput, 2x1MB L2 cache dual core 1.8)
• 4gb of Ram (AData trash I got cheaply, works like a dream)
• 6 Guest Virtual Machines: Domain Controller [server 2k3 small business], Webserver [server 2k3 enterprise], Misc Server (SVN, emulated servers, dev etc...) [server 2k3], LAMP server [ubuntu 7.04], SVN server [ubuntu 7.04], linux test server [ubuntu 7.04].
• Host OS is Vista Ultimate (This box sits behind my TV and is my Media Center)
• I have 8 hard drives in it, I think most are 250 gb, but its some massively crazy set of raid arrays in Raid 5 and Raid 0, but I have it setup so I have redundancy on all of my important data drives.

I don't know if any of this will help you at all, but I hope it does. I worked through college doing infrastructure architecture for Fidelity, so I have had a little practice. I don't know anyone else that has spent so many Friday nights debugging their personal domain controller at home. Don't say you weren't warned =)

 

[darkeros]

Thanks for the advice Kukmuk.

The reason I'm using XenServer is because as far as I know, it's the only host that is it's own OS and uses memory swaps for each virtual machine's OS, therefore requiring much less RAM when running more than one VM with the same guest OS. Also, each of the VM's will be linux and any future VM's will be linux, so the fact that XenServer can P2V Linux machines is also a great plus. (I can use a future test computer to make a linux appliance, then P2V it, which isn't available with VMware)

To sum up, XenSource is a server OS that uses virtualization and a networked management console running in windows. XenSource Express is also free and supports up to 4 hosts. Because of the capabilities of XenSource to replace a server OS and just have the hypervisor, it requires a great deal less RAM(negligible amount), so 2GB will allow me to give each OS 512 or less and still have RAM left over for more OS's due to the memory swapping of same OS VM's.

Hehe, hope that made sense...I pretty much know the hardware I need...I just need to pick a good combination to make all the pieces run together well.

Thanks again for the input! It's much appreciated...I definitely like hearing how other people set up their systems.

 

[Kukmuk]

Ah, ok... makes more sense why you would chose that route then. VMWare has a host OS that is just the virtualization platform as well, VMWare ESX. I have never run any of the hypervisor stuff because I prefer to use the host box as well to perform tasks (usually either a media center, or a domain controller). Sorry, I also didnt know your virtual machines were going to be all linux based, windows virtual machines with virtual machine extensions run very very well under MS Virtual Server (go figure), and pretty crappy under everything else.

By mentioning P2v, I assume you already have physical servers you are wanting to virtualize? Just FYI, MS Virtual Server and VMWare both have migration tools, however all platforms support deploying an acronis image with universal restore =) If you get bored give all of the virtual server host apps a try and see which you like the best (gotta love competition making everything free), I would be interested to know how XenServer works out for you, I may give it a try too.

Sounds like you pretty much know what you want to do, but feel free to pm me if I can help in any way!

Good luck

 

[darkeros]

One thing I haven't thought about...what kind of graphics card do you think is needed to handle this? I figured something small, but haven't worked with graphics cards providing graphics for multiple OS's.

 

[darkeros]

By mentioning P2v, I assume you already have physical servers you are wanting to virtualize? Just FYI, MS Virtual Server and VMWare both have migration tools, however all platforms support deploying an acronis image with universal restore =)

I don't have any at the moment, but I look forward to using another server to make linux appliance VM's, then P2V them. (I want to know this technology backwards and forwards, cause I hope to work with Virtualization professionally in the future).

I haven't tried using MS Virtual Server's migration toolkit, but I know VMware's converter program only converts Microsoft OS's.

 

[darkeros]

I decided to hold off on all the drives and just buy a 500GB drive for now.

Here's what I ended up getting:

Antec Atlas 550 Black Server Case - 550W Antec PSU
-plenty big for expansion

ASUS P5BV-C/4L T (LGA 775) Intel 3200 ATX Server Motherboard
- can use 45nm processors in the future, so will last a long time

Intel Xeon X3210 Kentsfield 2.13GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

2 Sets for a total of 8GB RAM - CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit

Can't wait to get it in and set it all up...

 

[Kukmuk]

Wow, that will be quite a beefy box! Too bad you wont have redundancy on the drive, if there is a failure in the 1 drive you lose your host box as well as all virtual machines and all file-server data =( Although the chances of that are extremely low and Seagate makes the best drives. Looks awesome, let me know how it performs!

 

[darkeros]

Will do!

I'm gonna be buying more drives over time, just couldn't afford more drives now. I picked this mobo also cause it has raid10 support for linux and supports 8 total drives. If I end up actually putting 8 drives in it, I'll do 2 sets of raid10 with 4 500GB drives in each set. I just don't have the money to buy more drives atm heh.

Thanks again for the advice, Kukmuk! I'll let ya know how it all works out and maybe take some pictures of the pieces before I actually put em in and post em.

 

[kribjo]

Hi,

Can you please post an update on your server project? It would be much appreciated. TIA. I've been a happy owner of the same mobo for a month now, because of it's potential. But I have problems in setting it up with drivers for the Marvell network and RAID.

ASUS P5BV-C/4L T (LGA 775) Intel 3200 ATX Server Motherboard
- can use 45nm processors in the future, so will last a long time

I want to run CentOS5.1 as host OS with VMWare Server, but I'm not successful in installing the drivers. I thought it would work without problems with the RHEL drivers that followed the mobo. I have tried with Ubuntu Server 7.10. It installs the correct network driver, but the Marvell RAID is still missing.

Regards,

Bjørn