One more thing that might be worth noting. I had started out making the jump to VMware Server 2.0 on a 32bit CentOS 5.2 install on a Core 2 Duo box with 3gb RAM. I had access to another Core 2 Duo box with 4gb RAM. Under 32bit OS, you are limited to just over 3gb RAM usable. I had read (but never tried to that point) that you could load 64bit linux on a Core 2 Duo. So, just for grins I download the 64bit CentOS 5.2 DVD and booted and it loaded up just fine. It then saw all 4gb (and would easily handle the up to 8gb the motherboard could do). Since RAM is often gold with guest VMs, this was an attractive path. So, i then got the 64bit VMware Server 2.0 and installed it. I then copied one of my 32bit Linux guest VMs and one of my 32bit windows XP VMs over and launched them. Much to my amazement, the I/O was almost double on the same Core 2 Duo motherboard under 64bit CentOS as my other one with 32bit CentOS. Likewise, I noticed lower system loading and better responsiveness on the two 32bit guest VMs under the 64bit install versus the 32bit install. I did not change any RAM allocations for the VMs and the only difference at the host level was 4gb for the 64bit install and 3gb for the 32bit.
so, while it is not very controlled or scientifically analyzed, the primary difference was 64bit versus 32bit. So, i moved everything to 64bit. It still would not load a 64bit guest VM though (you have to move to Core 2 Quad or similar with on chip virtualization I think). And one other plus of VMWare Server 2.0 over 1.x the ability to attach USB 2 bus devices to the guest VM. I haven't had a need to do this yet, but it will be nice to be able to do so if required. I have no idea if any of the others supports this or not. Mark --On Thursday, November 06, 2008 4:50 PM -0600 Mark J Bailey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Andrew, > > By "open source" are you really thinking "open source code" or "free"? > > reason i ask is that I have actually been having very good luck with > VMware Server 2.0 (just officially released recently) on Windows and > Linux host systems (free licenses). I have a mix of linux and windows > guest VMs as well. I too have heard of some performance problems with > Xen-based stuff (though I have not tried Xen myself). Sun opened up > Virtual Box and I have heard tell it is on par with VMWare, but, again, > no direct experience myself. I started off with VMWare Server 1.x and I > can say that, despite a more complex admin frontend (essentially equated > with the VMware ESX environment), the guest VMs do appear to perform > better themselves. And, under linux, the Firefox "console plugin" seems > to work very well. You can also pull in the windows .net based Virtual > Infrastructure Client for a windows-based GUI and it works fairly well > too. > > So, if you are looking for a free-to-use-for-whatever solution mainly, > VMWare probably is the best overall in polish. On a related note, I read > they made the entry-level ESX framework (ESXi) freely available too. It > is based on Redhat Linux 7.2 and is a dedicated server install. So, if > you want to gain ESX experience, it might be a way for you as well. > > All this assuming you aren't seeking an open source solution for the sake > of it having open source! :-) > > good luck > > mark > > > --On Thursday, November 06, 2008 4:24 PM -0600 andrew mcelroy > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Greetings, >> >> I am not trying to start a flame war or a rant, but I am trying to get a >> feel for what Open Source virtualization solutions are actually used. >> >> Currently I have a few servers virtualized inside Xen. >> However, I keep hearing that KVM is "the way to go"TM for hosting >> websites if you must stick to something open source. >> >> The purpose of these virtualized servers are to serve out either >> wordpress mu sites or ruby on rails sites. >> >> In the arena of hosting I have ran across OpenVZ, KVM and Xen. >> >> I was wondering what everyone is using and why. >> >> TIA >> Andrew McElroy >> >> >> >> > > > > ________________________________________________________ > Mark J. Bailey Jobsoft Design & Development, Inc. > 104 Arlington Place, Suite 100 Franklin, TN 37064 > EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] WEB: http://www.jobsoft.com/ > VOICE:(615)904-9559 FAX:(615)904-9576 CELL:(615)308-9099 ________________________________________________________ Mark J. Bailey Jobsoft Design & Development, Inc. 104 Arlington Place, Suite 100 Franklin, TN 37064 EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] WEB: http://www.jobsoft.com/ VOICE:(615)904-9559 FAX:(615)904-9576 CELL:(615)308-9099 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NLUG" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nlug-talk?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
