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Fujitsu Server RX200S6

Hi Experts,

I am planning to buy a Fujitsu RX200S6 (1U) Server with:
CPU: Intel Xeon L5630 4C/8T 2.13 GHz 12 MB
RAM: 2 x 8 GB DDR3 1333 MHz PC3-10600
HDD: 2 x HD SATA 3G 500GB 7.2K HOT PLUG 2.5"

I will install on the above server the following software:
-Windows Server 2008
-Exchange 2010 Std
-SQL Server 2008 Std
-Norton Backup Exec
-Sophos Antivirus

The File Storage will lie on an External Storage from same manufacture know as Eternus with 5x600GB HDD (15.000rpm).
The Server will be connected to External Storage through SAS Cable.

In the near future I am planning to buy a second RX200S6 Server and add it to External storage in order to use the Virtualization option (VMware, Hyper-V etc).

Q1: Will External Storage Solution affect the read/write speed of data?

Q2: Has the above server the right qualifications for the software to be installed on him?

Q3: Do you suggest the above scenario ?

Thanks in advance!

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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rindi

I'd recommend to already start with installing VMware vSphere Hypervisor, and then install your 2008 server as a VM. That will save you the hassle of doing that later. Also, as long as the hardware is listed in VMware's HCL as "compatible" the VM's won't care about the underlying hardware and will run fine. After all the Hypervisor is free, it's just the additional management tools which cost, and those aren't needed to start going.

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

The Primergy RX200 S6 is on the VMware Hardware Compatibility List for ESX 4.1 only.

You may want to consider a server which is on the HCL for ESX and ESXi, as ESX 4.1 is end of life, and will not be developed further.

VMware ESX and ESXi 4.1 Comparison

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1023990

SOLUTION

kevinhsieh

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mamelas

ASKER

Dear All,
Thank you for your immediate answers.

I would like to inform you that I will create 25 mailboxes for 25 Users.
I will also create 10 public folders.

My current database is 80GB on a Server with 5GB of RAM running SQL Server 2005.

Q4: So regarding RAM which is the suitable amount for my case?

I have also found the below information on HCL of VMware’s Site..(it says about ESXi)
Fujitsu - Primergy RX200 S6 - Intel Xeon 56xx Series
Supported Releases:
ESX 4.1 U11 , ESX 4.11 , ESXi 4.1 Embedded U11 , ESXi 4.1 Embedded1 , ESXi 4.1 Installable U11 , ESXi 4.1 Installable1 , ESX 4.0 U21 , ESX 4.0 U11 , ESXi 4.0 Embedded U21 , ESXi 4.0 Embedded U11 , ESXi 4.0 Installable U21 , ESXi 4.0

Q5: Which is today’s best version of VMware for Server? (I am newbie to Virtualization)
Is it compatible with RX200 S6 server?
If not which Series/Model of Fujitsu do you suggest?

SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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mamelas

ASKER

Dear hanccocka,

As far as I can understand the ESXi 4.1 is the latest version of VMWare Virtualization for Servers.

I will check again with my supplier if the RX200S6 server is compatible with the above version and I will revert.

Kindly inform me about the suggested amount of RAM.
Is 16 GB enough or I should go for 24 or 32GB?

Thanks in advance!

SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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SOLUTION

rindi

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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

@rindi: it's still called ESXi in the HCL!

mamelas

ASKER

Hi experts,

The Fujitsu supplier informed me that RX200 S6 is compatible
with the latest version of VMware (i hope he is right).

I will also follow hanccocka’s suggestion to add 32GB RAM to my Server.

Thanks guys for your multiple solutions provided.

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Any more issues, just ask away.