# What processor for a home VMware server? **URL:** \ **Category:** Chatting over the Back Fence\ **Created:** [December 2, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369 "2012-12-02T06:48:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![System1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@System1](https://forums.suse.com/u/System1)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/1 "2012-12-02T06:48:11Z")
Looking at building an ESXi 5.1 server at home. I was originally going to build an i7-based system but now I’m wondering if I should look at the Xeon E3 instead. What makes more sense? Right now thinking about the E3 1245v2 CPU with the Asus P8B board. – Does this washcloth smell like chloroform? ---
**Author:** ![HvdHeuvel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HvdHeuvel](https://forums.suse.com/u/HvdHeuvel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/2 "2012-12-02T12:13:09Z")
On Sun, 02 Dec 2012 04:48:11 +0000, Joseph Marton wrote: Joe, [color=blue] > Looking at building an ESXi 5.1 server at home. I was originally going > to build an i7-based system but now I’m wondering if I should look at > the Xeon E3 instead. What makes more sense? Right now thinking about > the E3 1245v2 CPU with the Asus P8B board.[/color] I found the following quite an interesting read : [http://www.vexperienced.co.uk/2012/10/22/home-lab-a-scalable-vsphere-](http://www.vexperienced.co.uk/2012/10/22/home-lab-a-scalable-vsphere-) whitebox/#more-3068 Cheers Hans ---
**Author:** ![Paullamontagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paullamontagne](https://forums.suse.com/u/Paullamontagne)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/3 "2012-12-02T16:23:17Z")
Joe, I just picked up a Dell 2950 Dual quad core Server…using SAS drives…very quick…It can hold 32 GB of ram and you can get extra 146GB drives relatively cheap…I paid 250 for a box with 12 GB of ram and 2 146GB drives…drives…I’ll be adding more ram and drives but this is great as a start [color=blue][color=green][color=darkred] > > > [/color][/color] > > > Looking at building an ESXi 5.1 server at home. I was originally going > > > to build an i7‑based system but now I’m wondering if I should look at > > > the Xeon E3 instead. What makes more sense? Right now thinking about > > > the E3 1245v2 CPU with the Asus P8B board.[/color] Paul ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/4 "2012-12-02T18:26:56Z")
Hans van den Heuvel wrote: [color=blue] > [http://www.vexperienced.co.uk/2012/10/22/home-lab-a-scalable-vsphere-](http://www.vexperienced.co.uk/2012/10/22/home-lab-a-scalable-vsphere-) > whitebox/#more-3068[/color] That’s a decent box, quite a bit more than I was hoping to spend. It made me think, perhaps I should look into the Xeon E5 line? I only want to do a single CPU though so the 2603 which he used isn’t much horsepower at 4 cores, no HT, and only 1.8GHz. Looking at the rest of the family the price goes up quickly, and pretty much there are no affordable E5 processor at 2GHz or greater (with or without HT). So for me looks like it’s going to be a decision between the i7 and the E3. Unless I go with some sort of “Extreme Edition” of the i7 that’s ridiculously priced, both are capable of a max 32GB (I’d prefer 64GB but I’m just gonna forgo that). BTW, if I go E3, the E3-1245V2 (3.4GHz, quad-core, HT, 8M cache) runs about $260. This is an Ivy Bridge CPU. If I go i7, the i7-3770K (3.5GHz, quad-core, HT, 8M cache) runs about $230. This is also an Ivy Bridge CPU. This particular E3 seems to add vPro, Intel VT-d, Trusted Execution, Demand Based Switching, Fast Memory Acces, and Flex Memory Access. I doubt I will need vPro or Trusted Execution. Are the power saving features or the memory access features something I’ll really benefit from in a virtualization host? Is it worth losing some clock speed and an extra $30? – Does this washcloth smell like chloroform? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/5 "2012-12-02T18:27:21Z")
Paul Lamontagne wrote: [color=blue] > I just picked up a Dell 2950 Dual quad core Server…using SAS > drives…very quick…It can hold 32 GB of ram and you can get extra > 146GB drives relatively cheap…I paid 250 for a box with 12 GB of > ram and 2 146GB drives…drives…I’ll be adding more ram and > drives but this is great as a start[/color] Wow that’s cheaper, cheaper than what I’d build, where did you find it? – Does this washcloth smell like chloroform? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/6 "2012-12-02T20:33:17Z")
Joseph Marton wrote: [color=blue] > Looking at building an ESXi 5.1 server at home. I was originally > going to build an i7-based system but now I’m wondering if I should > look at the Xeon E3 instead. What makes more sense? Right now > thinking about the E3 1245v2 CPU with the Asus P8B board.[/color] There _is_ a difference between a box designed as a server, workstation, and a desktop, regardless how it may ultimate be used. The Xeon is Intel’s processor for servers and workstations. These days there is very little difference in cost between a Xeon and an equivalent desktop processor so I would go with the Xeon. Of course you’ll need an appropriate motherboard. Here too there are important differences between server boards and desktop boards. Server boards, even entry level ones that support a single processor, generally can accommodate a larger RAM capacity, use ECC RAM, can accommodate a larger IO and PCI bandwidth, provide on-board SCSI/SAS, and are designed to run 24 x 7. Workstation boards are similar but usually include or can accommodate high performance graphics which aren’t needed on a server. If you’re building your own, I would look at some of the Intel entry level motherboards. If such a system does not fall within your budget, I would look for a used server, perhaps on eBay. They are usually very cost effective. One other point, VMware products generally experience fewer issues if run on approved hardware so if you have the option I would go that route. HTH – Kevin Boyle - Knowledge Partner If you find this post helpful and are using the web interface, show your appreciation and click on the star below… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/7 "2012-12-02T21:19:54Z")
KBOYLE wrote: [color=blue] > The Xeon is Intel’s processor for servers and workstations. These days > there is very little difference in cost between a Xeon and an > equivalent desktop processor so I would go with the Xeon.[/color] Take a look at the detailed comparison I gave of two CPUs I’m looking at, one an i7, the other a Xeon E3. Only $30 separates the two, but the two CPUs also look very similar spec-wise. It’s tough trying to see what the Xeon does better that I’ll actually take advantage of in exchange for losing some clock speed vs the i7. [color=blue] > Of course you’ll need an appropriate motherboard. Here too there are > important differences between server boards and desktop boards. Server > boards, even entry level ones that support a single processor, > generally can accommodate a larger RAM capacity, use ECC RAM, can > accommodate a larger IO and PCI bandwidth, provide on-board SCSI/SAS, > and are designed to run 24 x 7. Workstation boards are similar but > usually include or can accommodate high performance graphics which > aren’t needed on a server.[/color] Generally speaking I’d say you are correct. However in this case the max RAM supported is just 32GB either way. IO & Bandwidth look very similar as well at least with the CPU specs. I haven’t checked ECC capabilities so that could be one slight advantage. And as to 24x7, well, my current “server” is an old HP/Compaq dc5000 with a P4 CPU. It’s been running 24x7 for many years though I’ve replaced the CPU when I discovered the L2 cache had failed. My i7-based desktop is nearly 4 years old now and also runs 24x7. I’ve lost one processor in it as well, but I’m pretty sure that was a result of a power supply fan failure I experienced earlier this year. [color=blue] > One other point, VMware products generally experience fewer issues if > run on approved hardware so if you have the option I would go that > route.[/color] That’s my biggest concern. If I go a true workstation/entry-level server board and Xeon CPU, even if it’s the E3, I’m guessing I’ll run a lesser risk of issues with ESXi than with a desktop board and the i7. Of course if I go with an actual used server there’s even less risk as I can at that point check VMware hardware compatibility list. Still, for the combined cost savings I get with both CPU & motherboard, I’m still tempted to try the i7 route. BTW, here are the specs on the two CPus. You can see they are honestly very similar to each other. Intel Xeon E3-1245V2 [http://ark.intel.com/products/65729](http://ark.intel.com/products/65729) Intel Core i7-3770K [http://ark.intel.com/products/65523](http://ark.intel.com/products/65523) If I could afford a decent Xeon E5 then there’d be no question I’d just go that route. But since a decent E5 is over $400 alone (thinking the 2620) that’s not gonna happen. Almost seems like, then, it’s a flip of the coin going with an i7 or an E3. – Does this washcloth smell like chloroform? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/8 "2012-12-02T21:51:14Z")
> [@](#): > > On Sun 02 Dec 2012 07:19:54 PM CST, Joseph Marton wrote: > > KBOYLE wrote: > [color=blue] > > > The Xeon is Intel’s processor for servers and workstations. These days > > there is very little difference in cost between a Xeon and an > > equivalent desktop processor so I would go with the Xeon.[/color] > > Take a look at the detailed comparison I gave of two CPUs I’m looking > at, one an i7, the other a Xeon E3. Only $30 separates the two, but > the two CPUs also look very similar spec-wise. It’s tough trying to > see what the Xeon does better that I’ll actually take advantage of in > exchange for losing some clock speed vs the i7. > [color=blue] > > > Of course you’ll need an appropriate motherboard. Here too there are > > important differences between server boards and desktop boards. Server > > boards, even entry level ones that support a single processor, > > generally can accommodate a larger RAM capacity, use ECC RAM, can > > accommodate a larger IO and PCI bandwidth, provide on-board SCSI/SAS, > > and are designed to run 24 x 7. Workstation boards are similar but > > usually include or can accommodate high performance graphics which > > aren’t needed on a server.[/color] > > Generally speaking I’d say you are correct. However in this case the > max RAM supported is just 32GB either way. IO & Bandwidth look very > similar as well at least with the CPU specs. I haven’t checked ECC > capabilities so that could be one slight advantage. And as to 24x7, > well, my current “server” is an old HP/Compaq dc5000 with a P4 CPU. > It’s been running 24x7 for many years though I’ve replaced the CPU when > I discovered the L2 cache had failed. My i7-based desktop is nearly 4 > years old now and also runs 24x7. I’ve lost one processor in it as > well, but I’m pretty sure that was a result of a power supply fan > failure I experienced earlier this year. > [color=blue] > > > One other point, VMware products generally experience fewer issues if > > run on approved hardware so if you have the option I would go that > > route.[/color] > > That’s my biggest concern. If I go a true workstation/entry-level > server board and Xeon CPU, even if it’s the E3, I’m guessing I’ll run a > lesser risk of issues with ESXi than with a desktop board and the i7. > Of course if I go with an actual used server there’s even less risk as > I can at that point check VMware hardware compatibility list. Still, > for the combined cost savings I get with both CPU & motherboard, I’m > still tempted to try the i7 route. > > BTW, here are the specs on the two CPus. You can see they are honestly > very similar to each other. > > Intel Xeon E3-1245V2 > [http://ark.intel.com/products/65729](http://ark.intel.com/products/65729) > > Intel Core i7-3770K > [http://ark.intel.com/products/65523](http://ark.intel.com/products/65523) > > If I could afford a decent Xeon E5 then there’d be no question I’d just > go that route. But since a decent E5 is over $400 alone (thinking the > 2620) that’s not gonna happen. Almost seems like, then, it’s a flip of > the coin going with an i7 or an E3. Hi The Xeon supports a few more features, eg ECC memory, VT-d, Intel trusted execution, extra pci express configurations. So depending on the Motherboard options a Xeon would support more features I would guess extra SAS cards, pci express SSD or SSD cache. My money would be on the Xeon… – Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890) openSUSE 12.2 (x86\_64) Kernel 3.4.11-2.16-desktop up 5 days 4:22, 3 users, load average: 0.12, 0.08, 0.06 CPU Intel i5 CPU M520@2.40GHz | Intel Arrandale GPU ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/9 "2012-12-02T22:56:29Z")
Joseph Marton wrote: [color=blue] > KBOYLE wrote: > [color=green] > > > The Xeon is Intel’s processor for servers and workstations. These > > days there is very little difference in cost between a Xeon and an > > equivalent desktop processor so I would go with the Xeon.[/color] > > Take a look at the detailed comparison I gave of two CPUs I’m looking > at, one an i7, the other a Xeon E3. Only $30 separates the two, but > the two CPUs also look very similar spec-wise. It’s tough trying to > see what the Xeon does better that I’ll actually take advantage of in > exchange for losing some clock speed vs the i7.[/color] It’s a common fallacy that a faster processor will produce a better system. For example, take a 2 GHz and a 1.8 GHz processor. The difference in speed is about ten percent. Often the cost of the faster processor greatly exceeds ten percent of the cost of the slower processor. Considering that most of the time a systems runs nowhere near a hundred percent processor utilisation, all the faster processor will do is provide a little extra headroom. It certainly doesn’t mean that your system will run ten percent faster. [color=blue][color=green] > > Of course you’ll need an appropriate motherboard. Here too there are > > important differences between server boards and desktop boards. > > Server boards, even entry level ones that support a single > > processor, generally can accommodate a larger RAM capacity, use ECC > > RAM, can accommodate a larger IO and PCI bandwidth, provide > > on-board SCSI/SAS, and are designed to run 24 x 7. Workstation > > boards are similar but usually include or can accommodate high > > performance graphics which aren’t needed on a server.[/color] > > Generally speaking I’d say you are correct. However in this case the > max RAM supported is just 32GB either way. IO & Bandwidth look very > similar as well at least with the CPU specs. I haven’t checked ECC > capabilities so that could be one slight advantage.[/color] Again, you’re focusing on the processor. You should be looking at an optimal system design where there are few bottlenecks. Servers are usually constrained by IO bandwidth and RAM limitations. Your processor won’t be properly utilised if you can’t get the data into RAM and from RAM to the processor quickly enough. Real _server_ motherboards are designed to minimise these bottlenecks. Server motherboards are typically designed to use Xeon processors. Servers, in general, place pretty heavy demands on disk IO and network IO. Running a server OS on a laptop or desktop may be okay tor a demo but, in a real world scenario, it would be very easy to swamp the PCI bus thereby creating a bottleneck. Server motherboards have additional PCI busses to provide additional capacity and to reduce risk of the PCI bus becoming a bottleneck. In virtual environments, RAM is a precious resource. Even if your virtual servers are lightly loaded, the amount of RAM the host can accommodate will often determine the number of VM’s you can run. 32 GB may seem like a lot, and perhaps it is initially. If you expect to continue using this platform for many years, I would suggest you may want a motherboard that supports a larger capacity. [color=blue] > And as to 24x7, > well, my current “server” is an old HP/Compaq dc5000 with a P4 CPU. > It’s been running 24x7 for many years though I’ve replaced the CPU > when I discovered the L2 cache had failed. My i7-based desktop is > nearly 4 years old now and also runs 24x7. I’ve lost one processor > in it as well, but I’m pretty sure that was a result of a power > supply fan failure I experienced earlier this year.[/color] When designing a server, reliability and data integrity are usually key objectives. Yes, you can use a desktop computer and it may not fail or a failure _may_ not affect a critical component but the risk is greater. Server motherboards often have additional safeguards that may not be widely publicised, like error checking on the PCI bus, to ensure corrupted data is not written to the hard drive. Most of the time these things are not issues on desktop systems. [color=blue][color=green] > > One other point, VMware products generally experience fewer issues > > if run on approved hardware so if you have the option I would go > > that route.[/color] > > That’s my biggest concern. If I go a true workstation/entry-level > server board and Xeon CPU, even if it’s the E3, I’m guessing I’ll run > a lesser risk of issues with ESXi than with a desktop board and the > i7. Of course if I go with an actual used server there’s even less > risk as I can at that point check VMware hardware compatibility list. > Still, for the combined cost savings I get with both CPU & > motherboard, I’m still tempted to try the i7 route.[/color] I would suggest you verify what OS’s are supported on any motherboard you are considering. Manufacturers will usually specify if a particular motherboard supports SLES, VMware, etc. They often specify the specific releases that are supported. Again, use this information to reduce the risk and minimise issues. [color=blue] > BTW, here are the specs on the two CPus. You can see they are > honestly very similar to each other. > > Intel Xeon E3-1245V2 > [http://ark.intel.com/products/65729](http://ark.intel.com/products/65729) > > Intel Core i7-3770K > [http://ark.intel.com/products/65523](http://ark.intel.com/products/65523) > > If I could afford a decent Xeon E5 then there’d be no question I’d > just go that route. But since a decent E5 is over $400 alone > (thinking the 2620) that’s not gonna happen. Almost seems like, > then, it’s a flip of the coin going with an i7 or an E3.[/color] IMO, comparing processor specs is of no consequence and while cost is always an issue, determining the appropriate system configuration based on the cost of the processor is _not_ the way to do it. If you can design and build your own server, if it falls within your budget, and if you understand the tradeoffs, I say “go for it”! Otherwise, you may be better off looking at a previously used (refurbished) Tier 1 server. Many of these units no longer provide the capacity needed by a large enterprise but may be more than adequate for what you need. – Kevin Boyle - Knowledge Partner If you find this post helpful and are using the web interface, show your appreciation and click on the star below… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/10 "2012-12-03T14:55:24Z")
On 02/12/2012 04:48, Joseph Marton wrote: [color=blue] > Looking at building an ESXi 5.1 server at home. I was originally going > to build an i7-based system but now I’m wondering if I should look at > the Xeon E3 instead. What makes more sense? Right now thinking about > the E3 1245v2 CPU with the Asus P8B board.[/color] What do you want to do with it? Yes I know you want to virtualise servers but what I mean is how heavily is it going to be used? If you just want a server you can throw VMs at but you’re not overly bothered about performance than a cheap option is to buy a HP N40L Microserver which has an AMD Turion II CPU. In the UK you can get one for ~£250 and then claim £100 cashback! You could then max it out with 16GB RAM (specs say 8GB max but it’ll take 16GB). ## HTH. Simon Novell/SUSE/NetIQ Knowledge Partner * * * ## Do you work with Novell technologies at a university, college or school? If so, your campus could benefit from joining the Novell Technology Transfer Partner (TTP) program. See [novell.com/ttp](http://novell.com/ttp) for more details. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/11 "2012-12-03T16:01:01Z")
On 12/2/2012 9:23 AM, Paul Lamontagne wrote:[color=blue] > Joe, > > I just picked up a Dell 2950 Dual quad core Server…using SAS > drives…very quick…It can hold 32 GB of ram and you can get extra 146GB > drives relatively cheap…I paid 250 for a box with 12 GB of ram and 2 > 146GB drives…drives…I’ll be adding more ram and drives but this is > great as a start > > [/color] One thing that surprised me is how much less power the newer generation machines use. I have some 2950s at a location (dual CPU, 8 Gb, RAID 5 w/ 4-146 Gb drives, dual power supply) and I added an R720 (dual CPU, RAID 10 (4-15k RPM drives), 48 Gb, dual power supplies and the R710 draws about 60% of what the 2950s do. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/12 "2012-12-03T19:59:11Z")
> On 02/12/2012 10:13, Hans van den Heuvel wrote Well, there’s a blast from the past 🙂 How you doing old fella? 🙂 ## Michael “I’ve got the key to the gates of paradise, but I’ve got too many legs!” ---
**Author:** ![Paullamontagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paullamontagne](https://forums.suse.com/u/Paullamontagne)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/13 "2012-12-04T03:40:19Z")
ebay … [color=blue][color=green][color=darkred] > > > [/color][/color] > > > Paul Lamontagne wrote: > > > [color=green] > > > I just picked up a Dell 2950 Dual quad core Server…using SAS > > > drives…very quick…It can hold 32 GB of ram and you can get extra > > > 146GB drives relatively cheap…I paid 250 for a box with 12 GB of > > > ram and 2 146GB drives…drives…I’ll be adding more ram and > > > drives but this is great as a start[/color] > > Wow that’s cheaper, cheaper than what I’d build, where did you find it?[/color] Paul ---
**Author:** ![Paullamontagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paullamontagne](https://forums.suse.com/u/Paullamontagne)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/14 "2012-12-04T03:41:43Z")
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred] > > > [/color][/color] > > > On 12/2/2012 9:23 AM, Paul Lamontagne wrote:[color=green] > > > Joe, > > > > I just picked up a Dell 2950 Dual quad core Server…using SAS > > drives…very quick…It can hold 32 GB of ram and you can get extra[/color] > > 146GB[color=green] > > drives relatively cheap…I paid 250 for a box with 12 GB of ram and 2 > > 146GB drives…drives…I’ll be adding more ram and drives but this is > > great as a start > > > > [/color] > > One thing that surprised me is how much less power the newer generation > machines use. I have some 2950s at a location (dual CPU, 8 Gb, RAID 5 w/ > > 4‑146 Gb drives, dual power supply) and I added an R720 (dual CPU, RAID[/color] > [color=blue] > 10 (4‑15k RPM drives), 48 Gb, dual power supplies and the R710 draws > about 60% of what the 2950s do.[/color] Interesting, but for my 1 2950 I think i can live with the power consumption Paul ---
**Author:** ![HvdHeuvel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HvdHeuvel](https://forums.suse.com/u/HvdHeuvel)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/15 "2012-12-04T15:13:57Z")
On Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:59:11 +0000, MichaelC wrote: [color=blue][color=green] > > On 02/12/2012 10:13, Hans van den Heuvel wrote[/color] > > Well, there’s a blast from the past 🙂 How you doing old fella? 🙂 > > Michael[/color] Dude, talking about blasts … Wow, that has been a long time indeed. Still entertaining myself here doing similar type of stuff still, so I’m doing okay I think. At least for the most part though, lol. What about you and what you up to these days ? Cheers Hans ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/16 "2012-12-05T01:02:48Z")
## I think that depends mostly on the guests, you want to run. If you have only typical server guests, which generally do not need much processor power in a home environment I would not invest much into processor speed, but more into the number of cores. The number of cores is of course a question of the number of guests you want to run simultaneously. If you want to use your servers as terminal servers then horse power and processor speed is an issue. So all in all if it is a virtual environment I would prefer processors and motherboards, which allow addition of a second processor at a later time over single processor solutions, so if using a Xeon I’d take an E5 with maybe less speed or an old E5000. W. Prindl Joseph Marton wrote: [color=blue] > Looking at building an ESXi 5.1 server at home. I was originally > going to build an i7-based system but now I’m wondering if I should > look at the Xeon E3 instead. What makes more sense? Right now > thinking about the E3 1245v2 CPU with the Asus P8B board.[/color] ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/17 "2012-12-07T10:21:52Z")
Hans[color=blue] > Dude, talking about blasts … > Wow, that has been a long time indeed.[/color] Just a bit - it’s 7 since I was in RDG…! [color=blue] > Still entertaining myself here doing similar type of stuff still, so I’m > doing okay I think. At least for the most part though, lol.[/color] Good, good - sounds like you’re there for the long haul then [color=blue] > What about you and what you up to these days ?[/color] Left my old job at the end of October - now doing some consulting. Current project is some process improvement work, absolutely loving work for the first time in years Got married a couple of years back & we had a little boy last year, so that side of my life’s changed quite considerably since the old days too 😃 ## Michael “I’ve got the key to the gates of paradise, but I’ve got too many legs!” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/18 "2012-12-07T23:40:51Z")
Joseph Marton wrote: [color=blue] > Looking at building an ESXi 5.1 server at home. I was originally > going to build an i7-based system but now I’m wondering if I should > look at the Xeon E3 instead. What makes more sense? Right now > thinking about the E3 1245v2 CPU with the Asus P8B board.[/color] Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I was starting to lean toward the Xeon E3 setup but found it hard to pony up the extra money for a server board, especially with the particular recommendation I got from Mr. Wilson for an MSI board at only $65. In the end I went with the MSI Z77A-G41 mATX board and Intel Core i7 3770 (non-K). I didn’t realize that the non-K version actually includes additional virtualization features making it almost identical to the E3 1245v2, and also the exact same price. The only problem I had was that for some reason ESXi wouldn’t detect the Realtek onboard 8111E NIC even though stuff I read said it was supported. I tried both 5.0 and 5.1 with no luck. Instead of fighting it further I just went out and bought an Intel gig NIC for $30. When adding that to the motherboard price I still saved easily over $100 vs purchasing a server class motherboard. We’ll see how this desktop setup winds up working. For now, though, I’m happy as I have ESXi 5.1 running along with a few VMs: OES2 (inc. GW 2012), Data Sync, and a certain file sharing solution we’re working on. – Does this washcloth smell like chloroform? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/19 "2012-12-08T00:20:36Z")
On Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:40:51 +0000, Joseph Marton wrote: [color=blue] > In the end I went with the MSI Z77A-G41 mATX board and Intel Core i7 > 3770 (non-K). I didn’t realize that the non-K version actually includes > additional virtualization features making it almost identical to the E3 > 1245v2, and also the exact same price.[/color] That’s good to know - I’m planning to build a virtualization server myself (for KVM, though) and am probably going to get a Shuttle miniature case/mobo from Newegg for it - but the processor was up in the air. If it’ll take the non-K, that’s what I’ll get if it’ll fit the socket. The shuttle case is nice because it’s small, but the mobo included takes up to 32 GB of RAM - I figure I can build the system out for about $1K. Jim – Jim Henderson, CNA6, CDE, CNI, LPIC-1, CLA10, CLP10 Novell Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369/20 "2012-12-08T00:37:55Z")
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Had a friend price out a box for me for the same purpose (KVM server): EVGA GeForce GTX 650 01G-P4-2650-KR Video Card Item #:N82E16814130827 Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy $109.99 NVIDIA Gift PC Game Assassin’s Creed 3 Item #:N82E16800999298 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy $0.00 Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5 SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive Item #:N82E16822236343 Return Policy: Standard Return Policy $149.99 $129.99 OCZ Fatal1ty 750W Modular Gaming Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandy Bridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom Item #:N82E16817341041 Return Policy: Iron Egg Guarantee Return Policy $119.99 $99.99 G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Item #:N82E16820231507 Return Policy: Iron Egg Guarantee Return Policy $144.99 AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz (4.2GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ Eight-Core Desktop Processor Item #:N82E16819113284 Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy $219.99 COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP Steel Computer Case Item #:N82E16811119160 Return Policy: Iron Egg Guarantee Return Policy $159.99 $139.99 GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3 ATX AMD Motherboard Item #:N82E16813128521 Return Policy: Iron Egg Guarantee Return Policy $99.99 OCZ Agility 3 AGT3-25SAT3-240G 2.5 MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) Item #:N82E16820227727 Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy $199.99 $179.99 If I find money I may get a smaller case and a bigger SSD, but we’ll see. So for a little system, $1,124.92 Good luck. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.19 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with undefined - [http://www.enigmail.net/](http://www.enigmail.net/) iQIcBAEBAgAGBQJQwm/DAAoJEF+XTK08PnB52bcP/2xnSyEVWsZNDSWJEve+f/CW PBcLfhP7V6gh7hBPgk2lR4+WfP9VmfG2g4g3yLtU5dAEcPAETQRimMQ9DZelaOAH tvx8wONzaUDBjmmQf2uSlNt0N/cRKgwrq7+CO02c9XsOYTLt8pRm6uVUYTo0Qfqo MsneewrURYL3lRsCIA4TqBOU1WZsIhjIg6cX6sVNXa+KUdR/5nDnTpG0qEOhjarF XjYa5zRTsRk0sHdnbvkGJPYLHHmlhpvtqZ6tq9zj1lhiMlfLNZxvsXRAaMQdiKFd WSq4aZPvGqEK3ghcJkrMJP3tYAzDYcB0UcIjY3YdAmA+sdiEk9Di/I45lEzoovfq 1yoERsb2VWlQUHzKEwc8XberwdRV9A32w0kCSlk5mm9RoTc8urQAGtnBQk2vzwMI LA2S6TroMzRZobsiXri8uU1yKNVEgts/3gfU2YVKIjPH49yvhMi2pQzuaHMVzDgx RfLI0GZmtjRUHXm/9NplW1qGy8M2BCDtQpr9TC5QL1tqwvxnrRy8LirmiipXG1jQ nHtlKKGYxrKWcuyjsOark5W2c3z7CwrPjn7XHajap/REcUuKu6l8F+tZg74lmtsE m9+9HmtclldW5cVqxrd2uZpB5Swk3NnRMtd8dRpOTp1Qui1E7JqLSwAarPFWOkFY qu5kOq/Pi/FIvrYMjy6A =VSH8 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- [Next page](https://forums.suse.com/t/what-processor-for-a-home-vmware-server/23369.md?page=2)