I was thinking of maybe getting a ReadyNAS to use as NFS storage for a new ESXi server to replace any ageing setup. Which ReadyNAS would you recommend for this new setup?Currently we're using an ageing SBS 2003 OEM server, with a Pentium IV 3Ghz Processor and 4GB RAM installed (3.25GB can be used)It works fine however it doesn't meet the requirements of some new software we need to use.So I was thinking with SBS 2011 now released it would be a good time to upgrade our systems.I was thinking maybe this server would be good: http://betterit.com.au/scripts/prodview ... uct=141001Should I get SAS disks (if so which ones) or enterprise SATA disks.I was a bit shocked when I read the system requirements for SBS 2011: http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/syst ... ments.aspxWhat's so special about SBS 2011 that it needs a quad-core processor? Why wouldn't a dual-core suffice?Ideally I would've liked to have just migrated our SBS 2003 installation onto a new server. However as we have the OEM version this isn't possible. So I'd like to get a Retail or Volume License version of SBS 2011 (which do you recommend?)Also I was thinking using ESXi would be a better way of doing things in case we wish to get the Premium Add-on down the track and also to make it easier to move to a new server if the current server fails.I'd like to be able to separate hardware upgrades from OS upgrades when it comes to the server. As an SBS migration is a time consuming task.Any advice on how to migrate from SBS 2003 to 2011 such as good sites to look at?Also how much downtime will this lead to?

Here's my updated plan:462967-B21 - BBWC upgrade for P410iML330G6 Server e.g. this one: http://www.digitalyes.com.au/prodView.a ... duct=542782 x APA58A (SAS)T72-02719 (SBS 2011)6 x 4GB Kingston RAM modulesvCenter for EssentialsReadyNAS Pro 6 as NFS datastore? Would this do a good job for a small office?Currently use Backup Exec SBS 2010 R2 to backup our server. Should we continue to use this? Or is there a better option?

Need some more info. current number of users? Apps? Size of nightly backups, how many Nic's are you planning on running in the esx server? Networking topology? CappyKD

Current number of users: 3-5Apps: Exchange, Papercut, a Time & Cost software package and an Accounting software package.Nightly we currently backup around 75GB, I think, but I do a full backup each night. I could easily move installer files etc. and get this down quite a bit. I reckon a fraction of this data changes daily.I'd probably use one for connecting to the NFS share on the NAS, and the other to share the server with the rest of the network. I don't think you can use teaming with SBS? Is this correct?

Should I get SAS disks (if so which ones) or enterprise SATA disks.If you need 10rpm or more then go SAS. If 7200 is enough and judging by the amount of users it will be then go wirh SATA.Another note, I have 6 servers with SAS drives (HP DL 380 G5 and G6) and around 10 with SATA drives. In last 4 years dead ratio SAS:SATA is 0:3I was a bit shocked when I read the system requirements for SBS 2011: http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/syst ... ments.aspxWhat's so special about SBS 2011 that it needs a quad-core processor? Why wouldn't a dual-core suffice?It's a bulls***. There is nothing special. I'm guessing it's recommended because you can have "whole package" running on one maschine.Ideally I would've liked to have just migrated our SBS 2003 installation onto a new server. However as we have the OEM version this isn't possible. So I'd like to get a Retail or Volume License version of SBS 2011 (which do you recommend?)It is, well at least it was. Also depends who you get on the phone @ Microsoft. The EOM version is assigned to motherboard. I have 50/50 success rate :) Once I was able to transfer license from one machine to another because I had to exchange motherboard. After that I had to reactivate Windows once I was able to do that, got new activation code from MS. Another time I wasn't so lucky.Also I was thinking using ESXi would be a better way of doing things in case we wish to get the Premium Add-on down the track and also to make it easier to move to a new server if the current server fails.That's for sure. I have 5 ESXi servers running with 8 OS on each. Migrating machines is easy and fast.I'd like to be able to separate hardware upgrades from OS upgrades when it comes to the server. As an SBS migration is a time consuming task.Any advice on how to migrate from SBS 2003 to 2011 such as good sites to look at?Well depends what you have running there.Also how much downtime will this lead to?Also depends what you have running. AD, file server, print server, Exchange, SharePoint you can migrate really with really short or no downtime at all.

bbaraniec wrote:Should I get SAS disks (if so which ones) or enterprise SATA disks.If you need 10rpm or more then go SAS. If 7200 is enough and judging by the amount of users it will be then go wirh SATA.Another note, I have 6 servers with SAS drives (HP DL 380 G5 and G6) and around 10 with SATA drives. In last 4 years dead ratio SAS:SATA is 0:3So why not go with SAS then as they are more reliable?bbaraniec wrote:Also I was thinking using ESXi would be a better way of doing things in case we wish to get the Premium Add-on down the track and also to make it easier to move to a new server if the current server fails.That's for sure. I have 5 ESXi servers running with 8 OS on each. Migrating machines is easy and fast.Good!bbaraniec wrote:I'd like to be able to separate hardware upgrades from OS upgrades when it comes to the server. As an SBS migration is a time consuming task.Any advice on how to migrate from SBS 2003 to 2011 such as good sites to look at?Well depends what you have running there.Also how much downtime will this lead to?Also depends what you have running. AD, file server, print server, Exchange, SharePoint you can migrate really with really short or no downtime at all.I have AD, file server, Papercut (print charging software), Exchange, some Time & Cost software and an accounting program that uses SQL.

SBS 2011 and ESXi | NETGEAR Communities

15 Replies

bishoptf
Aspirant
Sep 07, 2011
Mdgm, I am starting to go through the same process, I was wondering if you have updated to sbs 2011 and what worked and did not work, my initial thoughts were that I am going to go with xenserver but I am still open. I have a current sbs2003 setup and want to go to new system and go all virt for the servers, I was planning on having the VM's data stors on a readyNAS pro 6 model, and the physical machine just the bare install server, but house all of the data on the NAS. Still working on replication/backup and how I am going to handle that. I too have been debating nfs vs iscsi no decisions committed but would love to here what work/worked and what did not. Thanks.
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Sep 07, 2011
At the moment I'm thinking I probably won't virtualise.
bishoptf
Aspirant
Sep 08, 2011
mdgm wrote:
At the moment I'm thinking I probably won't virtualise.

Any particular reason that changed your mind?
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Sep 08, 2011
The cost. For one server it can be hard to justify the cost of virtualising. When you have multiple VMs to run it starts to become quite attractive.
bishoptf
Aspirant
Sep 08, 2011
mdgm wrote:
The cost. For one server it can be hard to justify the cost of virtualising. When you have multiple VMs to run it starts to become quite attractive.

Yeah I hear you but it has it's advantages, the one major thing I like is the restore time, it's basically hardware independent, if you have a hardware failure I could almost through any supported hardware to get them back up as fast as possible. I already have my build pretty much spec'd out and it's no more than the cost of one of the laptop's I just bought for one of my users. So for my build I'm right at around $1200 (us), for the server not including my readynas 6 and drives. I was going to do the Nas anyway so that part would be a push, even if I went internal raid, it's cheaper but not by a whole lot since I would still need the same number of drives, the controller card would be cheaper than the NAS but then It's less flexible. So for ~$1200 this is what I have:

3u rack case
SUPERMICRO MBD-H8SGL-F G34 AMD M/B
amd Magny Cour 2.0G 8 core processor
G34 CPU cooler
32G Kingston ECC registered Memory
Antec 380 Power supply
4bay hot swap 2.5 HDD cage
Intel 40G SSD
antec 380W Power supply

For about $250 more supermicro makes a 1ru server chassis system just for this motherboard, all ready to go, just add memory, cpu and drives...I still may go with it... http://www.supermicro.com/Aplus/system/ ... 2G-MTF.cfm

I use Supermicro for almost all of my server builds, they make good stuff and have good support. The cool thing about the g34 boards is that they are supposed to stay compatible with the new 16 core bulldozer lines that are coming out...so one should be able to get a long life out of it...just thought I'd pass that along..:)

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SBS 2011 and ESXi

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