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NetApp FAS2020, VMWare NFS/iSCSI over GigE real world performance with only four servers

I manage the server/desktop infrastructure for a small law firm (45 desktops). We currently are running four servers

- 2 W2k3 DCs, one serving files another hosting SQL Server 2k5 on HP ProLiant DL 380s
- Exchange 2k3 (Dell PowerEdge 2950)
- Citrix XenApp 5 on W2k8 with ten licenses (Dell PowerEdge 2950)

I am interested in virtualizing this environment. The small server room doesn't have room for much more UPS or servers in the rack. The plan is to buy one new loaded server to start the VM infrastructure, a dedicated gigabit swich and a NetApp FAS2020.

My question is if I virtualize all these services (except maybe Citrix), add a few more non I/O intensive VMs and upgrade to a W2k8 DC with Exchange 2010 migration will the entry-level NetApp filer with two gigE ports support the entire infrastructure? SQL Server load is low (our database is only 2.5 gigs).

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Paul Solovyovsky

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ryder0707

Trust me its more than enough, one of my comp branch has lower specs than urs, all prod VMs running on single esx server with only local raid disks! As a start, you could create a single vSwitch0(assign both pNICs as active adapters) and create port groups inside for mgmt/vmk & VM traffic
I suggest to get the free esxi instead so you dont have to worry about service console
There's always room to grow just by purchasing license in the future, so i dont see why you cant start with the single server esxi first
Just ensure future server has is from the same cpu family

ryder0707

and by the way, the branch I'm talking about has about 100 active users, all e6400/e6500 laptops accessing the same esx host
until now, there is no performance issues...

sweetseater

ASKER

Ryder, why does the computer have to be of the same CPU family. This isn't taken care of in the virtualization? Will VMotion or HA not work unless servers are running the same CPU?

Paul Solovyovsky

VMotion will in the same family or similar families with the enhanced vmotion. HA does not need the same family of CPU but you need to make sure that if you have 64 bit VMs that both of your hosts support Intel VT

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ryder0707

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sweetseater

ASKER

Thanks for your rapid and proactive help.