<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META content="OPENWEBMAIL" name=GENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
Hi Danny,
<br />
<br />I just loaded a "new-to-me" server that I got for a pretty good deal. Its got 24 500Gig drives in two RAID6 arrays, and a pair of Xeon chips. So I did the same thing - instead of dedicating the entire box to just one server, I decided to virtualize.
<br />
<br />I considered using Virtualbox, since I've been using it on my desktop for years and been pretty happy. But I also recognize that VMware is the original, the most used, and most experts consider to be the best virtualization platform out today (at least for business purposes). Plus, its the first virtualization software I ever used back in 1998. In checking, I found that you can still use it for one server without license fees. Sounded like a good price, so I tried it.
<br />
<br />I had the server loaded up in no time flat! It was easy. But then it took a while for me to figure out that VMware has split their product into the virtualization host OS (called hypervisor) and a separate management GUI tool that runs on a different machine. Nice idea - keeping that management GUI load off the host. But a little tricky if you didn't know about it beforehand.
<br />
<br />It wasn't too hard once I'd realized what they did, and downloaded/installed the Vsphere management GUI. I've currently got one production BlueOnyx 5108R running, and a second one to tinker with. I've also loaded up one CentOS server to for a network backup server, a Linux desktop, and a Windows server to access remotely and play with (mostly to see how much it would load down the host). Since this machine only came with 16Gig RAM, I realize I'll need to expand that. But other than that - its working great, even with all five virtual machines crunching away.
<br />
<br />I'll be honest - I'm not as familiar with the Linux native virtualization options. I know a little about Hyper-V, only because a customer demanded on using it - then lost the tech he had trained on it and pushed its management onto me. So I've had to learn some of the Hyper-V crap - and you DON'T want to go there! Virtualbox is good (and also free), but doesn't seem quite as mature as VMware. And I just can't speak about the Linux native Xen, Linux-VServer, or OpenVZ - because I haven't used them.
<br />
<br />Of course, there's also the Solarspeed Aventurine. But I believe its primarily written/developed to support BlueOnyx (and likely other similar Linux guests) - so I was concerned that I would have problems with Windows guest OSes. I don't know that for sure - and maybe Michael can speak to the capability/compatibility of other OSes besides Linux.
<br />
<br />But whatever you decide to use - I believe you are correct that virtualization is the right way to go. You've got a BIG HONKIN' box there - don't waste it sitting around mostly idle if you can use it more efficiently with multiple virtual servers on it.
<br />
<br />
<br />Chuck
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><font size="2"><b>---------- Original Message
-----------</b>
<br />
From: "Danny O'Day" <danny@missing.com>
<br />
To: blueonyx@blueonyx.it
<br />
Sent: Thu, 8 Jan 2015 19:31:29 -0800
<br />
Subject: [BlueOnyx:16822] Soliciting Suggestions
<br />
<br />> Greetings Group -
<br />>
<br />>
I have ordered a new server I will be taking delivery on next week which I
<br />>
am hoping to use to delete a few servers out of my rack. I went with a
<br />>
Lenovo TS140 i7-4770 3.4GHz 32GB with 3 3TB 7200 rpm drives.
<br />>
<br />>
Currently I have one instance of Blueonyx 5208 running on one server
<br />>
(Hosting about 5 sites), another server running mail services(Debian
<br />>
ISPconfig for mail only), and 2 additional development servers (indexing
<br />>
project and video services through VPN). I'm hopeful this new box will
<br />>
have enough horsepower to knock out 3 of these machines into one by going
<br />>
to a virtual server setup.
<br />>
<br />>
I've never stepped into this realm very deeply and want to keep with linux
<br />>
as the OS on the server.
<br />>
<br />>
Anybody have any suggestions on how best to proceed and advice on what
<br />>
problems I may hit.
<br />>
<br />>
Thanks in advance,
<br />>
<br />>
Danny
<br />>
<br />>
_______________________________________________
<br />>
Blueonyx mailing list
<br />>
Blueonyx@mail.blueonyx.it
<br />>
<a target="_blank" href="http://mail.blueonyx.it/mailman/listinfo/blueonyx">http://mail.blueonyx.it/mailman/listinfo/blueonyx</a>
<br /><b>------- End of Original Message
-------</b>
<br />
</font>
</BODY>
</HTML>