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Looking for a good CPU to use in my new virtual host

DJMK4

DJMK4

DJMK4

Soldato
Joined
1 Dec 2004
Posts
23,298
Location
S.Wales
Hi all,

I am currently using my HP Microserver NL36 to run ESXi 5.0 for virtualisation which is fine, however, I have been pondering the idea of building another host however this time using components rather than a pre-built machine.

Could anyone recommend a good economical but good CPU when it needs to do work for this? I plan to have around 4-8 VMs possibly using it, I was thinking something like a Q6600 but wasnt sure if this would be to power thirsty.

Idea's appriciated thanks, I want something with either a good dual core, or quad core, which I can then expand on to use in line with say 16GB or more RAM.
 
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Well, I'll give you my opinion as the thread's not been moved yet. :)
I'd forget about a CPU as old as the Q6600. Very power hungry as you say and you're unlikely to be able to get 16GB of DDR2 RAM in 4GB DIMMs (suitable DDR3 mobo's do exist but are rare). A modern CPU like an i3 3220 or i5 3570 should give enough processing power for a fraction of the Q6600's power consumption. I've got an i3 3220T in my WHS2011 server and it would be drawing about 4W if I wasn't folding on it. Flat out it's using 17W and gives better PPD than my old Q9450.
 
Hope this isn't too off topic, but could you detail the rest of your server setup Snapshot (MB, RAM, what Hds you'r using)?

I've recently started using a server with an E2180 undervolted to 0.95, but with 2 HDs it still uses about 55-60watts at the wall which adds up for 24/7 use.

Could be I have a very old and inefficient PSU but still that still seems a lot if yours only uses 10-15watts. Is the Ivybridge 3220T the 35W TDP one?
 
GA-B75-D3V mobo
2 x 4GB Corsair Vengeance LP 1600MHz DDR3
Highpoint 2640x4 RAID controller
4 x 2TB WD Red HDDs in RAID5
120GB Agility 3 SSD
Competitor's own-brand 500W PSU 'Bronze'-rated but I may change this for a 'Gold'-rated PSU

The power figures are for the CPU only and come from CoreTemp. Yes, the 3220T is the 35W version. I'm using a Silverstone TJ-08 case, the CPU is passively cooled and its maximum temps are around 45C.

The whole thing is really overkill for my needs but, after 30 years in IT, I can't build anything less. Well, that's my excuse when Mrs Snapshot asks. :D
 
I would probably look at an FX6300 and a 970 motherboard(some of the cheap ones also support IOMMU too). You are unlikely to be thrashing the CPU at full load over all cores too,so power consumption should be OK.
 
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Snapshot said:
The whole thing is really overkill for my needs but, after 30 years in IT, I can't build anything less. Well, that's my excuse when Mrs Snapshot asks. :D
Click to expand...

Haha - I'm running Server 2008 R2 on mine, and all it's doing right now is running XBMC minimised so I can watch videos on my TV with DLNA!
 
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