MCITP Server Admin hardware/

Lights Out LO100i remote management - Allows greater access to the server, so if you need to do a hard shutdown and restart you don't need to go to site to push the button etc. So its interesting to play with and for me a worthwhile extra that comes with a 'proper' server :D
 
All media? Updated documentation as well as OS images etc? I looked at that but was going to wait a little for it.
 
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I've looked at the standard subscription, it's not much at around £150, I don't think I need the next level up. But as I got media with the books and I'm able to update online I was going to wait a month or so until I know a bit more then get the sub when I actually need it :D
 
OK so I need to decide on how to set the server up, for labs use. See what you think of my plan :D

I'm going for Windows Server 2K8R8 with Hyper-V to start with. I have ESXi on a flash drive on the internal USB and it can be booted from so I think I'll stick that on later on.

Ok so here's a thought, I've got 3 flavours of Server 2K8R2 that came with my MCITP Enterprise Exam Kit. I'm thinking Standard 2K8R2 64 bit with all the updates and Hyper-V as the default installation on my server. no point in sticking Enterprise or Datacenter on for the base OS lol.

That's on the 250Gb HDD. I've split that into 2. Is it worth Partitioning the 2 1Tb HDD's at this time? I plan on getting another 2 of the same HDD's in about a month and may decide to raid them at that time. Probably a split over 2 drives and mirror those. Performance and data backup.

I'm thinking split the 2 drives into 2 partitions each. but is that really necessary?

Split the VM's across the 2 drives and then use the other partitions for snapshots etc.

Or just run 2 1Tb drives? then raid and mirror whrn I add the other 2 drives?

I've got the spare 500Gb in there just now as well. I was thinking of using software backup to create an image of my C: drive when its all set up and storing it there .

Any thoughts would be appreciated, Just in case I'm missing something obvious :D
 
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OK, so I'm now thinking of the following to maximise the performance of the server :-

Use the 250Gb for the Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper V bootable host.

Raid (0) the 2 1Tb HDD's for performance while running the VM's off them.

Use the 500Gb for Backup of the C: drive and the VM's, I'm thinking of just keeping the snapshots on the raided drives.

So as long as I have at least a backup of the main OS (from the 250Gb bootable HDD) and the initial VM files the data on the 2 1Tb drives is not that important if one fails. I will be getting another 1 or 2 1Tb drives so I can then look at raid 0 and mirror :D or maybe Raid 5.

Memory so far is looking like its ok. I can have the Hyper-V manager dynamically control the Memory to each VM and as they are only Lab VM's its looking like 8Gb RAM is enough in the short term, Although I'm still thinking RAM first to 16Gb then the additional HDD's.

So raiding the 2 1tb drives should hopefully give me a little performance increase for the VM's or am I better having the drives as single drives and alternate the VM's across them?

Icing on the cake? I blagged a free upgrade to the Virginmedia Superhub which has a Gigabit router built in so I now have an HDD speed network for free :D
 
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Cheers. It is up and running :D It's just I did not raid the 2 1Tb drives. So before I get too far down the line I think I'll reconfigure the drives for speed :D So raid 0 it shall be :D

Also it will be an interesting test of moving the few .vhd files off and back on and see if that works as advertised and I can just remount the VM's from the .vhd's which of course you should...... :D

While I'm on. If I add the additional 8Gb ram as 2 installs of 4Gb Dimms will I lose performance from them not being interleaved? I.e go from 8Gb > 12Gb > 16Gb in another 2 moves. It is recommended that you install the Dimms in pairs but I was just wondering...

Also I currently have a spare 1Gb Dimm kicking around that was supplied with the machine. I'm just wondering if I can chuck it back in and run at 9Gb for a bit......
 
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OK well the additional 1Gb memory seems to be ok, the Raid though is a non-starter. Seems its raid all the drives or none, You can't have drive 0 as standalone, drives 1 & 2 Raid 0 and drive 3 standalone. So It will have to wait until I get around to deciding on what to do. If I want a raid with a few stand alone drives I think it will involve an additional raid controller. No big deal I'll cope :P
 
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Well seeing as I can add Dimms one at a time I think thats the plan :D I'll get another 4Gb Dimm this week and chuck it in for 13Gb (with the 1gb that came with the server) and then I'll get the last one in a week or so.

I think the Hard drive space at 2Tb for the VM's and the 250Gb for the OS with the 500Gb for backup should be plenty. Ill leave getting the additional Ddrives until last as there cheap enough that I might as well later on.

Also I might just spring for a technet sub earlier rather than later. It would be nice not to have activation issues with 2K8R2.

I think I'll go with the standard version and download the 180 day trials of the enterprise editions if I need those.
 
HI, I've had to put it on hold and go back to the Driving Instruction for a bit. My partner has Breast Cancer and that means I need more flexibility in my work which being self employed provides. I will continue with the studies and get the exams done this year :D
 
Bought the last Dimm to max out at 16Gb today, should arrive next week :D Thinking on replacing the standard Processor with a dual core i3-540 with hyper threading :D

Also I think I'll bite the bullet and take a Technet sub. Standard should do it. I can live without the pro version for Now :D

Then I'll get the Boson practice exam as that looks good and buy each one as I need them.
 
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Meh, Bit the bullet and hit buy on the Technet Standard sub only to find out that it's not an instant sale lol, seems MS want 2 to 8 hours to process the online transaction.

State of the art e-shop huh?

In any case I decided I can live with limited time on the enterprise versions of the software and Ill upgrade my sub next year if I need those versions then.
 
I'm looking towards the end of April beginning of May. I have a bit of time on hand just now so hitting the book/Lab and internet hard from Saturday onwards :D
 
Ok so that's the last stick of Ram in and the server is maxed out at 16Gb. Might get a hypethreading CPU next, just to make things a little quicker.
 
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Well as I dont have the luxury of an employer that will pay my training for me I'm on the DIY route. As posted I bought a server some memory and a few HDD's. Ive bought the MS press MCITP:EA books and now the Don Poulton MCTS 70-680 Cert Guide: Microsoft Windows 7, Configuring book along with the Boson 70-680 exam and a Technet standard sub.

I plan on buying the appropriate Boson exam for each module along with a decent alternative study guide to compliment the MS press stuff.

So its VM's for me :D

So that will have to work for me to get 70-680. Then I can see about getting a couple of low level rollout contracts and maybe a job off the back of those. I do have prior IT experiance so Im just updating skills. Then if Im lucky they might help towards the cost of the rest of my certification. I suspect however that I'll be doing the whole thing myself :D

You could try Firebrand Training but they are more of a boot camp. Good online resources are www.certforums.com and www.techexams.net they pretty much have all levels and backgrounds/situations covered for people training for certs.

The big advantage of self-study is you get to keep the resources and can work at your own pace. The downside of course is that it requires self discipline. Doing a course is fine if you can keep up and absorb the topic appropriatly. You then still have to try and practice and without the kit/books etc at home/work it might not be so easy.

Your employer might fund the Lab kit for training if you put a decent and reasonable proposal to them,

Oh and for kicks if you get the Server Admin Cert you might as well do the 70-643 and 70-647 to go with your 70-680 and get the Enterprise Admin Cert!!

Hope thats of some help.
 
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8Gb is enough if your only running a couple of VM's. Like everything it depends on what you want/need. I decided that I wanted a 16Gb server just in case I needed to run a few VM's together. I can also upgrade the CPU and the HDD's if required but I think its fine as is. After all it's for lab sim's not a live production server.
 
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Lorddalron said:
I do like the idea the way you went about it thinking ahead and thinking about cpu changes, RAM upgrads etc but i am struggling to get the cash for the N40L so any dearer is just out of the question.

How you getting on with your studies?
Click to expand...

Believe me funds were an issue for me as well :D

The study is going fine, About to book 70-680 and try and get that out of the way. Other issues previously mentioned are affecting progress but thats life as ever :D
 
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