<div>
It depends on the storage array.<br />
<br />
Can you create two types of raid or just one ?
</div>


<div>
I was told by vendor I can create multiple array types using the build-in hardware raid controller.
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<div>
Never consider RAID 5 for anything. It is no longer considered appropriate, because you only have one disk resilience.<br />
<br />
Use RAID 10 or RAID 6
</div>


<div>
Thanks everyone. So would this make sense?<br />
<br />
Separate RAID 1 for each of the three Virtual OS Installs = 2 drives x 3 OS installs = 6 disk drives 10K SAS<br />
For storage, a RAID 6 - &nbsp;8 x 1.2TB drives (gives me over 4TB Storage which is fine)<br />
<br />
Thoughts??
</div>


<div>
use all disks in RAID6 or RAID10 for the VMFS datastore for your VM storage.<br />
<br />
Install ESXi OS on SD card or USB flash drive.<br />
<br />
Here is the VMware KB on installing 4.1 on USB/SD:<br />
<a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1020655" rel="ugc nofollow">http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1020655</a><br />
<br />
Here is the VMware KB on installing 5.x on USB/SD:<br />
<a href="http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2004784" rel="ugc nofollow">http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2004784</a>
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<div>
<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
Question to the Experts.<br />
<br />
We are small business under 50 and can only afford single server so no replication or SAN. Plan to visualize 4 instances of Windows Server 2012R2 (1. Domain Controller, 2. Exchange, 3. RDP Server, and 4. Misc. App Server)<br />
<br />
The server is configured for 8 x 2.5&quot; &nbsp;SAS Drive bays.<br />
<br />
Should i use 2 bays RAID 1 for the OS's and 6 Bays for Storage? Or, a single RAID 5 for the works??<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Steve
</div>
</div>


Question to the Experts.

We are small business under 50 and can only afford single server so no replication or SAN. Plan to visualize 4 instances of Windows Server 2012R2 (1. Domain Controller, 2. Exchange, 3. RDP Server, and 4. Misc. App Server)

The server is configured for 8 x 2.5"  SAS Drive bays.

Should i use 2 bays RAID 1 for the OS's and 6 Bays for Storage? Or, a single RAID 5 for the works??

Thanks,
Steve

Hard Disk Config for Virtualized OS's and Storage

VMware, a software company founded in 1998,  was one of the first commercially successful companies to offer x86 virtualization. The storage company EMC purchased VMware in 1994. Dell Technologies acquired EMC in 2016. VMware’s parent company is now Dell Technologies.

VMware has many software products that run on desktops, Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS, which allows the virtualizing of the x86 architecture.  Its enterprise software hypervisor for servers, VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi), is a bare-metal hypervisor that runs directly on the server hardware and does not require an additional underlying operating system.

VMware

Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers. For large systems, the operating system makes sure that different programs and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system. Operating systems provide a software platform on top of which other programs, called application programs, can run.

Operating Systems

Servers are computing devices that are similar to desktop computers in that they have the same basic components, but are significantly different in size, configuration and purpose. Servers are usually accessed over a network, and many run unattended, without a computer monitor, input device, audio hardware or USB interfaces. Many servers do not have a graphical user interface (GUI), and are configured and managed remotely. Servers typically include hardware redundancy such as dual power supplies, RAID disk systems, and ECC memory, along with extensive pre-boot memory testing and verification. Critical components might be hot swappable, and to guard against overheating, servers might have more powerful fans or use water cooling.

Server Hardware

Virtualization is the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, including (but not limited to) a virtual computer hardware platform, operating system (OS), storage device, or computer network resources. Virtualization is usually the creation of a system that executes separate from the underlying hardware resources, or the creation of an entire desktop for systems located elsewhere, similar to thin clients.