On 2023-07-20 16:25, Todd Cole via PLUG-discuss wrote: > I use a lot of proxmox servers and very happy with them most are for > small office use running a router, win server and samba file server > and a win 10 for remote users to vpn into > most of the hardware is used dell 4-6th gen I-7 (cheap 4 cores 8 > virtual) with zfs raid 1 2 SSD's for redundancy and a spinner HDD for > back up 32-64 gb ram and meet my needs > with ease. both at home and work. > > I have used rack servers but they are hard to fit on a shelf, HOT and > use a lot of power and sound like a jet taking off. (I have a few to > donate free) > my point is do not over think or spend money to build a home lab or > hardware that you will need to replace due to your use case. > I still have one on a duel core 8 gb ram 2 250GB spinning disks that I > use as a router and zoneminder camera DVR in a un air conditioned > vacant office it just chugs along in 118 heat > I have a twin to it that is all set up ready to run that I would be > willing donate also. Todd > --- I'm starting to understand what a vCPU is and that I really do not need a bunch of cores and threads. I have an old Dell i5 with 4 cores, 4 threads, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. I'm a PHP developer and use the Proxmox box for testing and development. Currently I have one LAMP VM configured. This is what I come away with from this thread: 1) a vCPU is akin to a process. 2) One can configure lots of VMs that will share the CPUs. 3) Do not overload the server by adding too many VMs that all want resources. I assume top can be used to evaluate the amount of load on the server. 3) When I configure a VM the amount of RAM is static (not shared). If I have 16GB of RAM then I realistically can only have around 12 - 14GB of RAM in use at any given time. That would be running VMs. I can have tons of VMs that are not running and not using resources/RAM and their RAM is no counted. Its the active VM's that count. RAM is not shared. 4) The amount of file space allotted to a VM is also static and is taken up even when the VM is off. For example if I have 10 VMs that are assigned 20GB of disk space each, then that would total 200GB that are allocated and are always assigned and not shared with the other VMs. --- OK, another question. If commercial rack mount servers are so noisy and use a lot of electricity... then why not use consumer grade computers? Around 2005/2006 I was working as a level 1 at iPower. A manager showed us some pictures of the server room in downtown L.A. and they had a ton of HP mini towers on storage racks that were being used as hardware servers for hosting. I think they called them dedicated servers. --- > On Thu, Jul 20, 2023 at 3:09 PM George Toft via PLUG-discuss > wrote: > >> Be very careful with ESX. I know someone who bought a random server >> and ESX7 was not supported. It used to run on anything, now, not so >> much. Check the support matrix before you buy. >> >> Regards, >> >> George Toft >> >> On 7/20/2023 1:12 PM, greg zegan via PLUG-discuss wrote: >> >>> Hello, >>> I appreciate this topic. I have been wondering for a while now >>> if there is an affordable home server out there for EXSi and such. >>> Is there any way for someone to come up with a few choices for >>> people like me? Is there a low end, mid range, and high end home >>> server for someone to list with parts or suggested parts? >>> >>> thanks, >>> Greg >>> >>> On Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 01:01:13 PM MST, Keith Smith via >>> PLUG-discuss wrote: >>> >>> Thanks!! >>> >>> On 2023-07-20 11:36, Ryan Petris via PLUG-discuss wrote: >>>> I personally wouldn't even go for a used server. They're >>> generally >>>> loud, and even when they aren't they use much more electricity >>> than >>>> what you would get from a consumer platform. There's really no >>> benefit >>>> unless you have room in your house to make a real server room >>> with >>>> racks and the electrical capacity to go along with it. >>>> >>>> On Thu, Jul 20, 2023, at 10:59 AM, Stephen Partington wrote: >>>> >>>>> the downside for these processors is their mainboards are still >>> very >>>>> pricy to buy. much more than the CPU itself. you are almost >>> better >>>>> off looking for and buying a refurbished server which you can >>> get >>>>> for almost ludicrously inexpensive prices. >>>>> >>>>> On Thu, Jul 20, 2023 at 1:56 PM Ryan Petris via PLUG-discuss >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> The CPU's cheap because it's old and no one wants them anymore >>> -- >>>>> it's of the same generation as 6000 series intel processors >>> (i.e. >>>>> skylake). It also uses a server socket, so the only >>> motherboards >>>>> you're going to be able to find are server motherboards. Those >>> are >>>>> going to be expensive and/or have other quirks, such as >>> requiring a >>>>> vendor specific heatsink, or a vendor-specific power supply, or >>> take >>>>> 5 minutes to start up, etc. >>>>> >>>>> You'd be better off spending money on a last-gen cpu and >>>>> motherboard, for instance here's a combination that is >>> relatively >>>>> cheap: >>>>> >>>>> $174 for an i5-12400, which according to cpubenchmark.net [1] >>> [1] is >>>>> nearly 30% faster than the Xeon you linked (score of 19501 vs >>> 15146, >>>>> much faster single-core score as well): >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> > https://www.amazon.com/Intel-i5-12400-Desktop-Processor-Cache/dp/B09NMPD8V2/ >>>>> >>>>> $139 for a compatible motherboard: >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> > https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-B760M-DS3H-AX-Motherboard/dp/B0BSP61QZC/ >>>>> >>>>> I also wouldn't pay so much attention to the number of >>> "threads" you >>>>> think you'll need; you can run many VMs with a total number of >>>>> virtual processors that is much more than what you actually >>> have, >>>>> and as long as you're not trying to go whole hog on every >>> machine at >>>>> the same time you'll be fine, and even if you do, you'll still >>> be >>>>> better off with a faster processor with a few fewer threads >>> than an >>>>> older slower cpu with more. >>>>> >>>>> On Thu, Jul 20, 2023, at 10:26 AM, Keith Smith via PLUG-discuss >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hi, >>>>> >>>>> I was surfing the Inter Web when I happened upon a Xeon server >>> CPU. >>>>> It >>>>> >>>>> is marked at $32.49 at Newegg. It has 12 cores and 24 threads >>> and >>>>> has a >>>>> >>>>> good benchmark score. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> > https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Xeon+Silver+4116+%40+2.10GHz&id=3179 >>>>> >>>>> https://www.newegg.com/p/274-000A-007K2?Description=Xeon >>>>> >>>>> In the future at some point I would like to build something >>> with 20 >>>>> plus >>>>> >>>>> or minus cores and 40 threads more or less for Proxmox. This >>> would >>>>> be >>>>> >>>>> over kills because I only need 1 or 2 VMs active at one time... >>>>> maybe 3 >>>>> >>>>> in an extreme situation. >>>>> >>>>> This 12 core/24 thread CPU with 64Gb of Ram and a 1Tb SSD would >>>>> really >>>>> >>>>> be more resources than I would ever need. Off the top of my >>> head >>>>> this >>>>> >>>>> means I might be able to build a decent Proxmox server for $500 >>> - >>>>> $600. >>>>> >>>>> I do not need fancy video except for one VM that might be >>> running >>>>> Win 10 >>>>> >>>>> or 11... I assume a server grade CPU would handle Win 10 and >>> 11? >>>>> >>>>> Am I on the right track? >>>>> >>>>> Thank You For Your Feedback!! >>>>> >>>>> Keith >>>>> >>>>> --------------------------------------------------- >>>>> >>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>>>> >>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>>>> >>>>> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>>>> >>>>> --------------------------------------------------- >>>>> >>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>>>> >>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>>>> >>>>> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent >>> you from >>>> rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze >>> button. >>>> >>>> Stephen >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Links: >>>> ------ >>>> [1] http://cpubenchmark.net >>> >>>> --------------------------------------------------- >>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>>> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>> --------------------------------------------------- >>> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>> >>> --------------------------------------------------- >>> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > -- > > Todd Cole > Ubuntu Arizona Team > 2928 W El Caminito > Phoenix AZ 85051-3957 > toddc@azloco.com > 602-677-9402 > > > Links: > ------ > [1] http://cpubenchmark.net > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss