can you recommend me a cheapish vmware home lab?

masterjackmasterjack Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
in Virtualization
Hi,

I am currently looking to buy a machine to lab up along vsphere 5.5 exam. Minimum 16gb although 32 would be nice.
I would be hoping for in around the 300-400 euro mark. I was considering the below,what do you think? The price seems ok and its nice and small. Obviously i would need the 16gb ram too which brings up the price. Dont think its possible to get 32gb in these. Any other alternative machines that you would go for or is this good enough? I would be going nested via vm workstation.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HP-G1610T-ProLiant-Micro-Server/dp/B00DDIC1DA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436301285&sr=8-1&keywords=hp+microserver

Thanks in advance.






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Comments

  • srabieesrabiee Member Posts: 1,231 ■■■■■■■□□□
    I highly recommend that you go with a nested lab, which will work on a "normal" desktop or laptop. That way you don't have to purchase specialized server hardware. I agree that 16GB should be the minimum amount of RAM, with 32GB being optimal.

    Check out these recent threads on this topic:

    http://www.techexams.net/forums/mcsa-mcse-windows-2012-general/111278-hardware-hyper-v.html

    http://www.techexams.net/forums/virtualization/112122-hardware-advice.html
    WGU Progress: Master of Science - Information Technology Management (Start Date: February 1, 2015)
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  • masterjackmasterjack Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
    what do you think of the one i linked to?
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  • srabieesrabiee Member Posts: 1,231 ■■■■■■■□□□
    I'm not too familiar with the Intel Celeron G1610T processor. I looked it up and saw that it's a dual-core CPU without HT support. Seems like that microserver would be better used as a NAS or some shared storage purpose, but don't quote me on that.

    Alternatively, you could go with an AMD FX 8-core CPU for $130 USD, which would be better suited for heavy virtualization.

    What sort of desktop and/or laptop do you currently own? It may work fine for this project after a RAM upgrade.
    WGU Progress: Master of Science - Information Technology Management (Start Date: February 1, 2015)
    Completed: LYT2, TFT2, JIT2, MCT2, LZT2, SJT2 (17 CU's)
    Required: FXT2, MAT2, MBT2, C391, C392 (13 CU's)

    Bachelor of Science - Information Technology Network Design & Management (WGU - Completed August 2014)
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  • masterjackmasterjack Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
    i currently just have a netbook and its old, definetly out of the question. need something small and quiet.
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  • joelsfoodjoelsfood Member Posts: 1,027 ■■■■■■□□□□
    I use one of the microservers for my lab and love it. Quiet, reliable, RAID 10, 16GB, 2 cores. It doesn't do too much, as there's not much CPU to work with, but that, plus my workstation (16gb and 8 cores in that, and I'll probably go to 32GB soon), makes for a pretty solid little home lab.
    http://www.joelsccie.com
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  • masterjackmasterjack Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
    REMOVED UNNECESSARY QUOTED REPLY FROM PREVIOUS POST

    do you have that exact one i linked to? or a better spec'd one?
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  • joelsfoodjoelsfood Member Posts: 1,027 ■■■■■■□□□□
    I have the Gen8, but with a better processor, 16GB, etc.

    http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/proliant-servers/product-detail.html?oid=7260878&jumpid=reg_r1002_usen_c-001_title_r0003#!tab=specs

    That one, with a second 8GB DIMM added
    http://www.joelsccie.com
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  • DeathmageDeathmage Banned Posts: 2,496
    Define cheap, what's your budget?

    I have two Dell R610's, each cost around $320 each with 16 GB's of RAM and 900 GB SAS drives go for about $80's each, and you'll want at-least 3 of them for a RAID 5.

    So like $550 for the hardware.

    If you shop around on ebay you can find R610's with 16 GB's of RAM, Dual Xeon's and ample hard drive space for like $500 in ready-ships.
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  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 2,091 ■■■■■■■■■■
    I just use HoL for everything VMware.
    2018 Certification Goals: Maybe VMware Sales Cert
    "Simplify, then add lightness" -Colin Chapman
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  • masterjackmasterjack Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
    @=Deathmage

    300-400 euro if possible, dell R610s dont come under small and quiet so they are out. guna go for the microserver me thinks.
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