[THIN] Re: VMWare ESX
- From: "Chris Lynch" <lynch00@xxxxxxx>
- To: <thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 18:55:17 -0700
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
I do believe that VMware is a true server consolidation product.
Please, do not get confused by the marketing hype. You can
consolidate existing systems on physical servers onto less physical
hosts. You need to evaluate what the hardware you currently have,
and what demand the services require.
For instance, if you have an Exchange server that is under-utilized
(say an HP Proliant DL-560, or even a DL-380G3). You can turn the
DL-560/380 into an ESX host, run Exchange on it, as well as some
other services (DC, IIS, SQL, etc). But, you need to look at what
you currently have.
If you have a DL-380G2 that has two CPU's, 2GB of RAM and is a MF
server, DO NOT expect to turn that hardware into an ESX host to host
multiple virtual MF servers without upgrading the hardware.
I cannot stress enough that you need to benchmark your environment.
Look at the CPU, RAM, Disk I/O, and Network utilization with users
hitting the MF server. Then, you can average it out based on the
total amount of information, how many physical servers can you
consolidate into one larger host. This is where the term "server
consolidation" comes to play. You are consolidating smaller physical
hosts into one larger host. The upfront cost is going to seem steep,
but when you look at the long term goals you can accomplish (DR,
provisioning, etc.; with the use of VirtualCenter), you will see that
it can benefit.
Chris
> -----Original Message-----
> From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Luchette, Jon
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 6:39 PM
> To: 'thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
> Subject: [THIN] Re: VMWare ESX
>
> So you don't really think of it as a true server
> consolidation product? I am getting conficting reports here.
> This is the question: Can I use VMWare to squeeze more
> VM's/servers on the same hardware and expect equal perfomance
> as would be on independent boxes? If not and I need to buy
> more hardware to run multiple servers, it is sort of the same
> as buying more physical servers. I can understand that, but
> then why does VMWare continue to market this as a server
> consolidation / containment product when the real advantages
> are focused on other areas like testing/R&D, and DR?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chris Lynch [mailto:lynch00@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 3:35 PM
> To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [THIN] Re: VMWare ESX
>
>
>
> *** PGP SIGNATURE VERIFICATION ***
> *** Status: Bad Signature
> *** Alert: Signature did not verify. Message has been altered.
> *** Signer: Chris Lynch <lynch00@xxxxxxx> (0x6AE53DCC)
> *** Signed: 7/20/2004 12:35:05 PM
> *** Verified: 7/20/2004 6:48:19 PM
> *** BEGIN PGP VERIFIED MESSAGE ***
>
> First off, you would not be re-using your existing servers to
> run ESX. If
> you are, you are going to need to have more RAM, far more
> than 4GB of RAM if
> you want to even get close to 7:1. If you really want to do
> this right, you
> are going to want to look into a hardware platform, like the
> DL560 or DL580
> (if you are wanting to stay within the Proliant line). And
> you would want
> to get at least two host servers.
>
> Now, I have had some conversations with a Citrix engineer,
> and this very
> topic is quite a big one. The whole idea to run multiple
> guests to better
> utilize the hardware within a MF environment. MS has made
> some steps to
> improve resource utilization, but there are some limitations.
> Plus, with
> the ability for replication if you are using a SAN, DR is
> built-in with
> almost instant recovery.
>
> Chris
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Luchette, Jon
> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 2:00 PM
> To: 'thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
> Subject: [THIN] Re: VMWare ESX
>
>
>
> What do you think about an HP DL360 g3 with 2gb of RAM?
> That's what
> I've got, 6 of them...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Claus, Brian [mailto:BClaus@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 4:55 PM
> To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [THIN] Re: VMWare ESX
>
>
>
> I also believe 10:1 is stretching it...but I've NEVER
> known a sales
> rep to exaggerate ;)
>
>
>
> I'd _guess_ that a HP DL360 G3 with dual processors and
> 4 GB of RAM
> could safely do a 4:1 ratio. My servers get hit pretty
> hard...40-50 users
> concurrent with over 60 different published apps.
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
>
> Brian Claus, MCP, Network+, A+
> Network Administrator
> WESCO Distribution, Inc.
> 225 West Station Square Drive, Suite 700
>
> Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1122
> Phone: 412-454-2412
> Fax: 412-454-2540
> bclaus@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:bclaus@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Ryan Lambert
> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 4:48 PM
> To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [THIN] Re: VMWare ESX
>
> I was reading the product specs, and like you said... it
> looks like he'd be able to get like 6-10:1 if the utilization
> was pretty
> low... in theory. Then again, I don't have any real world
> experience with
> managing the product, so I am sure the "YMMV" rule applies
> here. From what
> he said, seems like these servers are getting pegged as it
> is... I'd think
> 10:1 was stretching it a bit.
>
>
>
> VMWare is something we've considered for our
> future plans...
> so I am definitely interested in this topic...
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Greenberg [mailto:steveg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 4:40 PM
> To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [THIN] Re: VMWare ESX
>
>
>
> 2-4 Virtual servers on one hardware box is my real world
> experience with Citrix. Could be 6-10 servers if you are
> consolidating servers with very low utlization....as always it
> depends on
> what apps you
> are running.
>
>
>
> Steve Greenberg
> Thin Client Computing
> 34522 N. Scottsdale Rd. suite D8453
> Scottsdale, AZ 85262
> (602) 432-8649
> (602) 296-0411 fax
> steveg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Luchette, Jon
> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 1:25 PM
> To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [THIN] VMWare ESX
>
> Hello, we are looking at VMWare ESX. I just
> got out of a
> meeting with them and I was just wondering what any of you
> can tell me from
> your experience to expect as a general rule of consolidation
> with Citrix
> boxes. Right know we have 6 duals, with 2 gb of RAM, and are
> getting about
> 30 users per box. If we were to go with ESX, how many
> servers should we
> plan on consolidating to? Have any of you guys done
> something like this
> recently? We were told in the meeting that we could go
> anywhere in the
> vicinity of 6:1 to even 10:1. That seems a bit much to me,
> do any of you
> have any good VMWare consolidation stories for me?
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
>
>
> /jL
>
>
>
> *** END PGP VERIFIED MESSAGE ***
>
>
> ********************************************************
> This weeks sponsor Emergent Online Thinssentials Utilities
> Using the latest
> software, hardware, networking technologies, proven technical
> expertise,
> proprietary software and best practices, EOL provides
> custom-tailored solutions for each client's mission and specific
> goals.
> http://www.go-eol.com
> **********************************************************
> Useful Thin Client Computing Links are available at:
> http://thin.net/links.cfm
> ***********************************************************
> For Archives, to Unsubscribe, Subscribe or
> set Digest or Vacation mode use the below link:
> http://thin.net/citrixlist.cfm
> ********************************************************
> This weeks sponsor Emergent Online Thinssentials Utilities
> Using the latest software, hardware, networking technologies,
> proven technical expertise, proprietary software and best
> practices, EOL provides custom-tailored solutions for each
> client's mission and specific goals.
> http://www.go-eol.com
> **********************************************************
> Useful Thin Client Computing Links are available at:
> http://thin.net/links.cfm
> ***********************************************************
> For Archives, to Unsubscribe, Subscribe or
> set Digest or Vacation mode use the below link:
> http://thin.net/citrixlist.cfm
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP 8.0.3
Comment: Public PGP Key for Chris Lynch
iQA/AwUBQP3NBG9fg+xq5T3MEQK7XACgufeAt2Vw2z3iICnHzPD8jTq1ReoAoMND
J28EdPnIipiNbXT9wE+FZ2WR
=Jn87
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
********************************************************
This weeks sponsor Emergent Online Thinssentials Utilities
Using the latest software, hardware, networking technologies, proven technical
expertise, proprietary software and best practices, EOL provides
custom-tailored solutions for each client?s mission and specific goals.
http://www.go-eol.com
**********************************************************
Useful Thin Client Computing Links are available at:
http://thin.net/links.cfm
***********************************************************
For Archives, to Unsubscribe, Subscribe or
set Digest or Vacation mode use the below link:
http://thin.net/citrixlist.cfm
Other related posts:
