New server(s) requirements - hardware and setup tips appreciated

grumpybeard

grumpybeard

grumpybeard

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Hey guys,

An independant SAP ABAP developer with 12 years experience, Im just coming to the end of a contract and decided to take a few months off to invest in further technical self-training and study.

Im looking to build a system to install SAP Netweaver on that I can use for traditional programming development, plus setting up portals and web services. Traditionally I would have installed it "directly" onto the host server.

However....Im swinging towards putting SAP on a VM, and running the VM on the host server. Am I right in thinking this would be a better way to go, to "encapsulate" the SAP system so that it can easily be backed up/restored via the VM image, and also if it goes t*ts up, or anything else goes bang, there is less of an impact.

I guess what Im trying to ask - is the preferred method for this kind of test environment is to have several VMs running SAP/exchange servers etc etc on one host?

Which leads me to my next Q - never having built a VM (ran one using VMware) whats the process - clean machine OS install, install the necessary apps, test, take copy of VM and load onto host? For subsequent VMs repeat?

If this is the way to go then something like an I7 920 should handle multiple VMs in it's stride?

I also want a NAS/media server!! (what the heck, Im taking a few months off so have time to play!). I was intending to put all of this on the one I7 920 server, but may seperate the VM and media/NAS requirements onto two boxes - wise move?

Apologies for the very basic and mundane questions! :rolleyes:
 
VM is pretty much synonymous with test environments where real world performance is not as critical and being able to roll back to states is made very simple.

Base building Virtual Machines and then copying before using them is a good way of streamlining additional roll outs onto the Virtual server. You would be a nutcase to not do this. The whole point is being able to run multiple systems on one piece of hardware, having one physical server to run one virtual host would be an unpreffered method :p

As for the process of a new VM, you configure the environment, allocated resources etc etc in VMWare, Virtual PC or whatever you chose to use then boot it up as if it was a real machine and then build it.

VM host machines need a good amount of memory and some decent computing power all scaling with just how many VMs you want to run. What is the NAS and media server for? If its for VM data then just get a SAN and attach it directly to the VM host hardware, no need for a separate server.
 
Thanks for the reply Sin Chase - from what you've said it's good to know Im heading down the right architecture road with VM's.

Think I'll go with an I7 920 which I expect should handle several of the VMs I have planned - SAP Netweaver, Apache, Exchange server - I'll try with 6Gb memory and if that aint enough get another 6!

I plan to use the NAS to provide access to a central repository of technical documentation and source from anywhere.

The media comprises films, TV series and music collection - I use iTunes standalone at the moment but would like to have some sort of iTunes Server to serve the networked PC's. This media is already stored on disks in my current i7 920 games machine. Would you have the VM server as the media server too, or seperate?

Regards OS for the VM server, having never used any flavour of Linux Im a little intimidated and would naturally go for Windows 7 - any reasons not to?

Thanks very much so far, it's going to be one hell of a learning experience, all good!
 
To be honest most modern machines will run multiple VM's with no issues so long as you're not fussed about blazing speed and even then it should be pretty quick.

I'd go for as much RAM as you can, 6GB should be ok but if poss go for 8 or more, its so cheap normally.

You probably should sign up for Technet Direct, about £2-300 for all OS you need, Win 7, 2008, Hyper V + Exchange etc. AWESOME for testing :)

Depending on how loaded you are, ESX could be a good platform else Windows Vista / 7 with Workstation 7 would do nicely.
 
Hi Morf, Sin,

Really appreciate your help in getting me on the right path, rather looking forward to "playing" after I get the last 5 weeks work of the year out of the way!

Already a technet subscriber so will take a look at Hyper-V. You think Windows server 2008 for the VM host will be a better bet than Windows 7 for my needs? I shall have to read up more on it.

Think the VM server hardware will be based upon an I7 920 with 12Gb ram (OK morf you convinced me to load up on the RAM!). Would you suggest building each VM on a low-end machine, to have clean builds each time, and then tranferring to the host? That'll mean 2 PCs to build then, ouch!

Thanks also for the pointer to VM Workstation 7.

Cheers fellas.
 
Hyper V is a Server 2008 based Hypervisor. You load up 2008, install Hyper V role which then virtualises 2008 as a guest OS and from there you can install various OS' as VM's.

Always build the initial VM as a guest on the VM host IE don't do it on a physical box and P2V else you end up with lots of random bits and pieces for hardware that doesn't exist anymore. You often now end up with multiprocessor HAL whereas a single CPU one is all required when virtualised etc (this used to matter a lot and an idle 2CPU VM would max out a physical core). Once you've built the gold image you can clone / sysprep it to your hearts content.

It depends a lot on the hardware required. If you wanted to do all this on say a laptop I'd go Windows 7 / VMWare Workstation 7. If its for a PC / "server" such as ML 110 etc then I'd go ESX or Hyper V although Win7 with Workstation 7 would probablyl be cheaper.

As for media centre I'd get Popcorn hour box, I've got the A110 and it rocks, there is a newer one but not used that.
 
Morf,

Thanks so much for the tip on building each machine as a guest on the VM host, Im sure that's saved me pain and effort already!

I dont really want to spend too much on software - after all I have a technet subscription for trialling, however it will be going on the I7 920 server I'll build, so MS software I can get via technet will be used - so I guess Hyper V or W7 on the server, and VMWare Workstation 7 client end?

After spending 1700USD on SAP technical books, and with the server still to purchase and build Im still in shock!
 
Completely forgot VMWare ESXi at the time. Also investigate that, it's free :)

SAP staff are paid a fortune so I'm sure you'll survive ;) Yeah your plan above seems sensible
 
Morph thanks again fella for your input, helps a lot!

On sidepoint regards SAP payment - it's more an issue of every consultancy company charging client more for college graduates with 6 months exp. than good independant guys with serveral years exp. breaking blood, sweat and tears - and they the consultancies continually get away with it!

I'll get me coat......:rolleyes:
 
And anyway you should see the p.o.s. I drive - a 13 year old rusty golf with 170,000 on the clock - and still going strong, go baby go!!

Sorry for getting OT, get all emotional thinking of my golf parked next to rather better class cars - mines, erm, different!

One day in the not too distant future I'll likely have an air-cooled system badged by VW!
 
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