laptop lab setup help

Hi,

I'm considering purchasing a laptop to run my Server 2012 lab from as I don't have the space or money for a real lab.
For those of you using a laptop for your lab studies, what does your setup look like?

Any suggestions on specific laptops as well as CPU, RAM, and disk specs would be much appreciated.

Also, feel free to suggest anything else that could help me get up and running with as little pain as possible.
If you have learned lessons along the way, please share so I don't make the same mistakes.

Thanks,

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

Deathmage

probably need a i7 and at-least 32 GB's of RAM. if it's a laptop without 32GB's just add memory to it, memory is cheap!

Make sure you have a good sized hard drive too...

For a Server 2012 Lab use VMware Workstation to make a nested lab. Tons of posts in the Virtualization section on nested lab, just do a since forum search on 'nested labs'. If that doesn't help and still costs too much you can always use VMware Player and download a trial copy of ESXi 5.5 or 6.0 and install a ESXi host on the player and plug away with that nested lab.

iBrokeIT

If you have limited/no resources to build a good homelab then I would suggest Technet Virtual Labs rather than struggling with an undersized lab environment.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtuallabs/

Cheers!

pjd007

Deathmage wrote: »

probably need a i7 and at-least 32 GB's of RAM. if it's a laptop without 32GB's just add memory to it, memory is cheap!

Make sure you have a good sized hard drive too...

For a Server 2012 Lab use VMware Workstation to make a nested lab. Tons of posts in the Virtualization section on nested lab, just do a since forum search on 'nested labs'. If that doesn't help and still costs too much you can always use VMware Player and download a trial copy of ESXi 5.5 or 6.0 and install a ESXi host on the player and plug away with that nested lab.

IMO you don't need an i7 but if you can afford it then go ahead, my PC is an i5 with 16GB RAM and I've managed to lab most things running the bare minimum no. of VM's which is usually 3-4.

The main thing is disk IO so if you get a laptop it's worth switching out the HDD for an SSD and if you can afford it buy an external SSD drive (or use a caddy) to host some VM's on.

cruwl

If your thinking of buying a laptop you have more then enough money to pick up a used server off like ebay. Mine cost me $165.00 shipped and is a Dual socket Xeon quad core with 32Gb of ram.

So the question are you looking more for dual purpose or something dedicated to labs.

My "Lab Laptop" is quad core and 8Gb of ram its more then enough to run 3-5 VMs for specific labs or trouble shooting. You will be hard pressed to find a "Cheap" laptop that can support 32Gb of ram, let alone "cheap" 16Gb sticks for said laptop.

sdmukthar

I am planning to buy a laptop to build a virtual lab at home with VMware Workstation (ESXi hosts).
Need your advice/help to find laptop with following configuration.
32 GB RAM
CPU quad core or octa core i7 above 2.7 Ghz
SSD 500 GB
HD 1TB

Please let me know the best laptop for nested lab.

MariusRZR

You don't have to find a laptop with the exact configuration.
Get a laptop with a good cooling system and a powerful i7 processor.
Make sure it has 4 slots of RAM.
Then buy your own SSD and RAM. If you get an OEM SSD, you get ripped off...big time.

bohack

An SSD is a must for any lab PC/Laptop... Don't scrimp on performance! You will run out of disk IOPs before you run out of RAM. As for creating a nested VM lab see this video https://youtu.be/lG3vXlo2q7M I use it to teach classes.

MeanDrunkR2D2

I'm debating on buying/building a lab myself. I was thinking of finding a used Dell R710 with at minimum of 32gb RAM and eventually adding on extra drives and use as a plex server so I can put all my dvd/blu-rays in storage once I'm done labbing and practicing. What are your thoughts on me doing something like that.

Louie1277

Well i have 2 different labs. One at home and one on the road. My laptop is macbook pro with 16gig of ram. I have all my vm's on a external drive using the firewire connection. I like it and runs good.

bohack

A Dell R710 sucks down power... I'd opt for something that would be less loud a R710. Also heat is a big factor. All the problems of a server room in your house

MeanDrunkR2D2

Do you have another option that is in that range, is as powerful or more than that? Heat is fine, it will be in a storage room in the basement, which tends to be quite cold. And what would the problem be of having a server room in my house?

bohack

Having a server in the house is great, but the power consumption of a full server is what turns me off. I build something with a decent processor and lots of SATA3 connection for my house. When it's not in use the peripherals power themselves down. It the same a purchasing a van to car pool vs a bus. They both get the same job done, but the later of the two is used for an industrial purpose. Just my thoughts, that is when I'm paying the electric bill.

MeanDrunkR2D2

bohack wrote: »

Having a server in the house is great, but the power consumption of a full server is what turns me off. I build something with a decent processor and lots of SATA3 connection for my house. When it's not in use the peripherals power themselves down. It the same a purchasing a van to car pool vs a bus. They both get the same job done, but the later of the two is used for an industrial purpose. Just my thoughts, that is when I'm paying the electric bill.

I'm lucky for a few factors, which is that my wife works from home, which means that her company not only pays for our business class internet, but also for our electricity and gas. Noise would be more of a concern than power consumption, but my plans are to put it in my basement storage room. I just need to convince my wife that I NEED it.

bohack

HAHA... Good luck!

MeanDrunkR2D2

bohack wrote: »

HAHA... Good luck!

I'm going to need much more than luck as anyone with a wife who doesn't understand and does not appreciate anything tech wise. I need to have a 10 page action plan on why it's needed and a good thing.

AndersonSmith

A laptop with an i7 processor, 256GB SSD, and 16GB of RAM is what I use. I run several VirtualBox VMs at a time and have no problems. You could probably get by with an i5 and a little less RAM but if you can afford it go for the i7 and more RAM.

MariusRZR

Do NOT buy a laptop with OEM SSD. Pick a model you like, pick a processor model then go for the cheapest version of that model.
Then buy the extra RAM and SSD yourself. You will save lots of money. And you no longer void the warranty by opening the back and adding crap in it. OEM parts are overpriced as hell.
I bought a gaming laptop like a year ago. The one with extra 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD was 300 euros more expensive.
I got the cheaper one, same model, then bought 8 GB of ram for 35 euros and a 512 GB SSD for 200. You see?:)

AndersonSmith

MariusRZR wrote: »

Do NOT buy a laptop with OEM SSD. Pick a model you like, pick a processor model then go for the cheapest version of that model.
Then buy the extra RAM and SSD yourself. You will save lots of money. And you no longer void the warranty by opening the back and adding crap in it. OEM parts are overpriced as hell.
I bought a gaming laptop like a year ago. The one with extra 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD was 300 euros more expensive.
I got the cheaper one, same model, then bought 8 GB of ram for 35 euros and a 512 GB SSD for 200. You see?:)

^^^ Yes, I agree with what MariusRZR is saying here.

bohack

I totally agree... I'm in the same boat! I did run across this interesting find today on my Youtube Channel http://amzn.to/22TBe7M It's a compact server cube with a simple RAID card and enough power to run Hyper-V or Vmware smoothly. I'm actually going to pitch something like it for our classrooms at the school I teach at.

maelstrom3530

I'm currently using a Dell M4600 with 24GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. It does all I need it to do.