New Build - Getting parts

[cjlee89]

Hello!

 

I am getting ready to build my Gen8 server and wanted to run my plan by everyone. Any/all suggestions are welcome!

My plan:

 

HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 G1610T

2x3TB WD Red drives -- This should last me quite a while. Should I Raid into one logical drive?

16GB Ram -- Still looking for this.

 

Now this is where it gets foggy for me. I want to run ESXi but the cpu does not support vt-d. Is this a huge issue? What am I losing if I do not upgrade to a Xeon? Can I install ESXi on to an SD card, or put a 2.5" drive in the ODD to run ESXi?

 

I do not want to upgrade the CPU at this time and if I can't run ESXi without doing this, I can just install Windows 2012R2 onto a hard drive in the ODD.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited November 21, 2013 by cjlee89

[jmwills]

Virtualization happens at the processor level so if that processor can't handle it...no dice.  For the money you are going to spend to go to a Xeon chip, you might as well build a custom box.  Yes, the GEN8 form factor is cute, but i'ts a server...

[cjlee89]

Virtualization happens at the processor level so if that processor can't handle it...no dice.  For the money you are going to spend to go to a Xeon chip, you might as well build a custom box.  Yes, the GEN8 form factor is cute, but i'ts a server...

The stock chip can do vt-x but not vt-d. What am I losing here without a Xeon chip?

 

ESXi is not entirely necessary. If I need to upgrade to the Xeon, i will just install Server 2012R2 by itself. I was mainly going to do this for experience with an ESXi environment.

[jmwills]

vt-d, as I understand it, will give you virtual device control.  The Xeon chip is going to do a lot more powerful and will cost as much or more than the base Gen8.

 

ESXi-i is free and you can get a trial copy of 2012 so I'd say test away.

[cjlee89]

Agreed! I am going to give it a shot.

 

This pretty much answers my question: http://homeservershow.com/forums/index.php?/topic/6080-do-we-really-need-vt-d-on-our-processors/

[jmwills]

There was a similar question to yours about two weeks ago and once I started adding up the parts (Gen8 + a new Xeon chip) you could have built a nice custom system.

[cjlee89]

I already have the hard drives and I don't plan on using a Xeon chip..Would you say a Microserver is a good deal? I want a low power consuming box since it will be running 24/7.

[LoneWolf]

There was a similar question to yours about two weeks ago and once I started adding up the parts (Gen8 + a new Xeon chip) you could have built a nice custom system.

 

While in many cases I agree with you, there are several factors I'd consider.

 

-Is IPMI, or some form of lights-out management a huge plus?  Very few DIY mainboards have this; the ones that do are in the $200 range (Supermicro, Intel, perhaps one or two others) which is halfway to the cost of the Microserver before buying any other parts.

-Is hardware RAID important?  Not huge here, but some would find it nice that HP's iLO 4 (their lights out management) integrates with some HP Smart Array controllers.  If not, Adaptec has some competitive controllers in the same price range for a DIY build.

 

I looked at my build options, and it was a fifty-fifty for me.  To get a system that matched the Gen8 Microserver  (mini-ITX board/case, with lights-out management and similar features) the price would have been similar.  Knowing that HP's firmware support for their servers, iLO, and RAID cards is excellent was a big deal for me.  I ended up going with the Microserver, though I also considered a BitFenix Prodigy case and a custom server build.

[ikon]

And it's a smaller form factor than the BitFenix