First of all, Peter, I must have deleted your eMail re: the response to my post. Sorry, it is not like me to blast an email into oblivion like that <g>. The ESXi OS is very thin, and based on my experience there is really nothing to do other than install it, then configure it. Could not be easier. I have not had to do anything with either ESXi Server since lighting them up, other than migrate the Workstation virtual machines to them via VMware Converter. BTW, in my world it is just me supporting my entire hardware/OS/app/network/firewalls/etc. system, 19 physical machines, and usually 8 virtual machines running on at least 2 of he physical machines (sometimes more VMs running on other physical machines. I run Mac OS X, to Windows 2000 - 2003 Server, and Ubuntu Server 8.04+. If I can handle the additional load of ESXi on my own, while still juggling all my other machinery alone, plus my regular workload, I am certain you and your colleagues can handle ESXi. It is far easier, as I found, than using VMware's other apps that run under either Windows or Linux. And free if you keep it light and simple. ESXi for free, VI Client for free, and follow my previous directions re: placing the ESXi free license key code where I reported it needs to go.
Also, even though I got lucky with the Dell Precision T3400 units re: running ESXi well, I m not planning to push the edge again <g>. There are a lot of Dell Servers optimized for ESXi, with all the fancy embedded controls, etc. But there are 2 other Server class machines they offer that do support ESXi that I am looking at, and both are reasonably priced. They are the PowerEdge 2900 III, and the PowerEdge T610. I will send eMails to you with the configurations I am looking at, just so you can see what can be had for fairly inexpensive. I plan to host 8 virtual machines (all Win2k with 1Gb RAM) on them, just like the T3400 units, except these say in the specs they run with ESXi v-3.5U4 and ESXi v-4. I hope that helps a bit more. Gil > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:profoxtech- > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Stephen Russell > Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 12:09 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [NF] VMware ESXi Server, and other VMware virtualization > solutions > > On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 10:36 AM, Peter Cushing < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Gilbert M. Hale wrote: > > > Greetings! > > > > > > > > > > > > For anyone interested in virtualization for running multiple > concurrent > > > machines on a host system, this is for you! Anyone else is invited > to > > read > > > and store the info for later. I am hoping to fend off grief for > folks > > > seeking virtual Nirvana. > > > > > > <Snip> > > > > > > > Very interesting Gil, > > > > We've been doing a bit of virtualisation here. Well actually my boss > > has been doing most of it and I've just stood there looking > interested :-) > > > > We liked the idea of being independent of the hardware so that if it > > fails we can get up and running very quickly. We have virtualised a > few > > servers using Vmware including my back office VFP app which prints > and > > emails jobs all day. We don't think that ESXi is the way to go for > us > > as the hardware has to be a lot more specific to be able to run that > > OS. We want to be able to run the VM stuff on any half decent > machine > > and be up and running quickly. You were saying you got lucky with > your > > hardware but we don't want to take any chances. My boss also thinks > the > > extra complexity of handling the OS layer makes it more difficult to > > support in a small IT department like ours. > > ---------------------- > > > We are going to look into virtualization as well. Costs are so high > that we > probably won't do it. Looking at taking SS for a variety of clients > and > putting small ones on a virtual machine instead of the little mini > servers > we have for each one. > > Takes 8 underused boxes into one Mega server, 16 cpu 32 gig ram to > start > maybe jacked up to 64 gig? > > All data will be stored on a SAN or a killer raid that is fiber > connected. > > > The high end VMWare is costly but it allows us to really get the > control > between the virtual machines with respect to SQL Server. Putting dbs > int > 2008 all us to throttle various process and back off on the little > stuff > like log shipping. > > Why are others looking into virtual? $$ or copy paste to new device? > -- > Stephen Russell > Sr. Production Systems Programmer > SQL Server DBA > Web and Winform Development > Independent Contractor > Memphis TN > > 901.246-0159 > > > --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts --- > multipart/alternative > text/plain (text body -- kept) > text/html > --- > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[email protected] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
