What would you recommend?

You may have noticed that I haven't posted any updates on the home network lately. I decided to halt my current plans and take another path. As a result I am looking for a "super server" of sorts. On that will  virtualize most of the loads I need to run and also be expandable for many years going forward. I posted a similar request to some internal aliases and received some good advice and suggestions. I would like to open it up a little thogh so I am posting the request here as well.

The goal is to virtualize 6-10 of the PC's that run in the basement to one machine, then use SCVMM and DPM to manage and backup. I should note that some of the workloads are pretty insignificant but I will be moving two DC's, an Exchange server, a SQL Server, and a Web Server into the VM environment. SQL is not heavily used but Exchange and the Web server are (I host about 30 domains).

My thoughts are to get a machine that will be used for a number of years (I have PC's that are 10+ years old that I am going to decommission). My thoughts are to get a machine with the following minimums --

Dual Quad Core CPU's

16+ gigs of RAM

onboard SATA RAID

eSATA port

SCSI is an option but I would prefer to stick with SATA

on board Gigabit Ethernet (required and preferably two ports)

I am quite comfortable building my own systems so I welcome suggestions on specific MoBo's or even complete server systems. Price is a consideration but the system is going to be pricey no matter what so I am keeping an open mind.

What do you suggest?

Cheers!

Comments

• Anonymous
  September 30, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  September 30, 2008
  Oooo! oooo! If price is no object, (I mean it is but) Howzabout 64 8 Core servers with 512 gig ram each linked up in HPC mode with External SAS Raid 50 arrays?! Buah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

• Anonymous
  September 30, 2008
  I think I am going to stick with SATA for my disk solution. I am going to sacrifice the speed for a cheaper price per gig in this case. Alsom for what I require, that sacrifice will be nominal. I am in more need of space that speed in my case. Chris

• Anonymous
  October 02, 2008
  I have spent the better part of today building out a temporary Hyper-V server. It is sort of a proof

• Anonymous
  October 02, 2008
  So sniff sniff You're NOT going to run the sniff sniff Server 2008 in HPC mode? But you could ask your nice Uncle Steve for a few servers.    And it would look so nice next to the TV set. :)

• Anonymous
  October 02, 2008
  No HPC for me just yet. If this proof of concept Hyper-V project keeps going this well though I just might have to modify to a more redundant setup and HPC might come into play then. Chris