tallboy755
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Is the Hyper-V Role in Server 2008 a good option for this scenario?
I had a small environment of a Windows 2003 SBS with about 15-20 workstations. I completely maxed out that server so we upgraded to a more robust server and just installed Windows Server 2008 Enterprise R2 on it. The 2003 SBS is still on the network and functioning... I need some recommendations...
I'm a little foggy on the capabilities of the Hyper-V role with Server 2008 and the ability to run multiple virtual servers off of one machine. We have never used Exchange before but I have Exchange 2010 and want to install and use it.
Would the Hyper-V role allow the ability to setup multiple servers on my new machine and run Exchange 2010 off of one of those "virtual" servers? Or am I better off running Exchange 2010 off of my 2003 SBS and just use the 2008 server as my program/file server?
My 2003 SBS has a small hard drive and I will probably be upgrading that and reinstalling 2003 SBS on it again to continue using that box.
Please let me know if I can provide more information but I'm anxious for some real advice from the experts.
I'm a little foggy on the capabilities of the Hyper-V role with Server 2008 and the ability to run multiple virtual servers off of one machine. We have never used Exchange before but I have Exchange 2010 and want to install and use it.
Would the Hyper-V role allow the ability to setup multiple servers on my new machine and run Exchange 2010 off of one of those "virtual" servers? Or am I better off running Exchange 2010 off of my 2003 SBS and just use the 2008 server as my program/file server?
My 2003 SBS has a small hard drive and I will probably be upgrading that and reinstalling 2003 SBS on it again to continue using that box.
Please let me know if I can provide more information but I'm anxious for some real advice from the experts.
First and Foremost Exchange 2010 is a 64 bit application and will ONLY run on a 64 bit opperating system running on 64 bit hardware. So running it on 2003 server is NOT an option
Personaly, if your new hardware is 64bit capable I would prefer to install VMWare ESXi (FREE) as the hypervisor and then run the Win2k8R2 servers under that, far less overhead, better performance (From my own experience).
READ THIS http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996719.aspx
Personaly, if your new hardware is 64bit capable I would prefer to install VMWare ESXi (FREE) as the hypervisor and then run the Win2k8R2 servers under that, far less overhead, better performance (From my own experience).
READ THIS http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996719.aspx
ASKER
Neilsr,
Someone else I know also suggested VMWare ESXi
If I install that, do I need to re-install the Win2k8R2 on the virtual servers? or is that operating system on them already?
Someone else I know also suggested VMWare ESXi
If I install that, do I need to re-install the Win2k8R2 on the virtual servers? or is that operating system on them already?
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Neilsr: Windows 2003 comes in a 64 bit version which runs on 64 bit hardware.
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@mattvmotas
Maybe it does BUT WE ARE TALKING EXCHANGE 2010
IT REQUIREs 2008 server 64 bit edition. AS stated in the link I provided. Please do not contradict if you do not know the correct answers.
Maybe it does BUT WE ARE TALKING EXCHANGE 2010
IT REQUIREs 2008 server 64 bit edition. AS stated in the link I provided. Please do not contradict if you do not know the correct answers.
To correct mattvmotas in this case, yes there is Windows 2003 x64, but there is no x64 version of SBS 2003, which is what the author has.
I am with mattvmotas and Jimmy in supporting Hyper-V. I run maybe 50 VMs in Hyper-V including Exchange, File, Print, SQL, Terminal Server, Domain Controllers, IIS, FTP, and various application servers. Heck, my file server has about 1 TB of data and it replicates with 15 other servers.
I am with mattvmotas and Jimmy in supporting Hyper-V. I run maybe 50 VMs in Hyper-V including Exchange, File, Print, SQL, Terminal Server, Domain Controllers, IIS, FTP, and various application servers. Heck, my file server has about 1 TB of data and it replicates with 15 other servers.
1TB? Oh you have a small one ;)
I currently run ALL systems under ESX after testing with both. From experience I find VMware to be be better, thats just am opinion. I have file servers with over 12TB SAN data available, exchange 2010 with 50 databases replicated accross 14 different exchange databse servers etc etc...
We can all say our system is better, I just offer what I have experienced myself with using both systems.
I currently run ALL systems under ESX after testing with both. From experience I find VMware to be be better, thats just am opinion. I have file servers with over 12TB SAN data available, exchange 2010 with 50 databases replicated accross 14 different exchange databse servers etc etc...
We can all say our system is better, I just offer what I have experienced myself with using both systems.
ASKER
With all this muscle flexing, I feel like I'm riding my tricycle down the Atlanta airport runway!! ;)
The 2008 server has a 500GB drive with RAID and 8GB memory
Neilsr, did you see my question from earlier? How does the setup work for VMWARE ESXi? Is there some training on it somewhere I could review or educate myself on? Will I need to re-install the operating system on the virtual servers or are they already setup with 2008 Enterprise once I install ESXi?
Thanks for all the help everybody!
The 2008 server has a 500GB drive with RAID and 8GB memory
Neilsr, did you see my question from earlier? How does the setup work for VMWARE ESXi? Is there some training on it somewhere I could review or educate myself on? Will I need to re-install the operating system on the virtual servers or are they already setup with 2008 Enterprise once I install ESXi?
Thanks for all the help everybody!
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I realize VMWare might have a slight edge on the performance due to its mode of operation, but unless you have real heavy stuff going on, as in, more than 10 Virtual Servers on 1 box, I'd recommend going for Hyper-V. As mentioned by matt, you get 4 free licences with every copy.
- Jimmy
- Jimmy
Just to clarify, tallboy755 has the licenses to run 4 Windows Server OS VMs on a single host. That license right is granted by assigning the Windows 2008 Enterprise license to the host and is independent of the virtualization platform. He can also run as many non-microsoft OS VMs and Microsoft and wouldn't care, and I don't think that VMWare would either for ESXi, though I have heard that they are looking at per VM pricing for some of their higher tier products.
ASKER
Thanks everybody for your help!
I found out the Microsoft's minium supported configuration for an Exchange server with all roles is 8 GB RAM, so you should have 12+ GB on the parent to host everything.
2008 R2 Enterprise includes 4 free running instances of Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise to use in Hyper-V.