nellster1
asked on
HDD choice for virtual setup running 4 x VM's (SBS2011 x 1 & Win 2008 x 3) - SAS or NL-SAS?
Hi all,
Would appreciate some advice with regard to choosing adequate HDD's for my intended virtual setup. I have a couple of systems configured but am having some difficulties choosing between SAS and NL-SAS drives.
My intended setup is:
Running 3 virtual servers (1 x sbs2011 standard | 3 x Win 2008 R2 Standard), using Win 2008 R2 Enterprise as Hyper V host running on a single Dell R510 server. The SBS VM will handle our domain & email roles whilst the other VM's will run the organisation's CRM, FileMaker Pro and other low activity roles. By low activity only approx 5 users connect to the CRM and 20 to the File Maker Pro DB. The SBS VM will service approx 20user but can swell to 60 users.
I have the server more or less complete bar the HDD choice. Normally I always plump for SAS drives but this organisation is not vast and I'm keen not to over spec. Dell has offered up NL-SAS 10K drives as an alternative that whilst not on a par performanace wise with the SAS drives they do offer a significant saving.
Ive not had much experience with NL-SAS drives in 24/7 operation and have read lots of articles and posts both slating performanace and reliability over their SAS cousins but 99% of these appear to be in much larger and more demanding environments than possibly mine will be.
Be keen to know if anyone with a similar setup is using the NL-SAS option and what their experiences have been or opted for SAS and why?
Thanks in advance,
Nellster1
Would appreciate some advice with regard to choosing adequate HDD's for my intended virtual setup. I have a couple of systems configured but am having some difficulties choosing between SAS and NL-SAS drives.
My intended setup is:
Running 3 virtual servers (1 x sbs2011 standard | 3 x Win 2008 R2 Standard), using Win 2008 R2 Enterprise as Hyper V host running on a single Dell R510 server. The SBS VM will handle our domain & email roles whilst the other VM's will run the organisation's CRM, FileMaker Pro and other low activity roles. By low activity only approx 5 users connect to the CRM and 20 to the File Maker Pro DB. The SBS VM will service approx 20user but can swell to 60 users.
I have the server more or less complete bar the HDD choice. Normally I always plump for SAS drives but this organisation is not vast and I'm keen not to over spec. Dell has offered up NL-SAS 10K drives as an alternative that whilst not on a par performanace wise with the SAS drives they do offer a significant saving.
Ive not had much experience with NL-SAS drives in 24/7 operation and have read lots of articles and posts both slating performanace and reliability over their SAS cousins but 99% of these appear to be in much larger and more demanding environments than possibly mine will be.
Be keen to know if anyone with a similar setup is using the NL-SAS option and what their experiences have been or opted for SAS and why?
Thanks in advance,
Nellster1
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
15k SAS
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Hi all, many thanks for the replies.
@hanccocka - short and sweet, I like it.
@dlethe - Interesting approach. I could provision VHD's based on SAS RAIDs for more intensive duties and VHD's on NL-SAS for normal file serving with a view to possibly upgrading pending pricing/space.
@pgm554 - System backup will be to a NAS device, then to USB portable drive for offsite. Aware of the "limitations" of the MS Hyper-V but the licenses will not cost us anything for all the OS's so a big incentive to go down the MS route... for now. Had not considered purchasing the HDD's elsewhere actually, for some reason had it in my mind that they had to come from Dell... which of course they dont!
@hanccocka - short and sweet, I like it.
@dlethe - Interesting approach. I could provision VHD's based on SAS RAIDs for more intensive duties and VHD's on NL-SAS for normal file serving with a view to possibly upgrading pending pricing/space.
@pgm554 - System backup will be to a NAS device, then to USB portable drive for offsite. Aware of the "limitations" of the MS Hyper-V but the licenses will not cost us anything for all the OS's so a big incentive to go down the MS route... for now. Had not considered purchasing the HDD's elsewhere actually, for some reason had it in my mind that they had to come from Dell... which of course they dont!
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Hi all, decided to split he points as all extremely helpfull answers.
Many thanks and apologies for delay in answering.
Nell
Many thanks and apologies for delay in answering.
Nell