According to IDC: Virtualization Market Accelerates Out of the Recession

Virtualization Market Accelerates Out of the Recession as Users Adopt “Virtualize First” Mentality

Mainstream HW for Cloud: Dell present Cloud oriented solutions

Dell present new server lines optimized for low-cost Cloud solutions:

Dell’s New Cloud Server line

New servers are part of Dell strategy Open Solutions For The Virtual Era

Similar 2U 4 dual socket boards systems are already shipped by SuperMicro one of the main Tear-1 OEM suppliers.

AMD Opteron 2000 – SuperMicro A+ Server 2021TM-BTRF
Intel Xeon 5500/5600 SuperServer 6026TT-BTRF

As Intel will make available new Energy Efficient Xeon 7500(6500) processors Nehalem line, we will see more solutions like these,
as Intel announced new line will have initially 11 members, from which 3x will have TPW 95W and 4x 105W.
100W is known limit for such 2U 4 dual socket boards solutions.

Home Storage OpenSolaris based Server (Install Fedora 9 & Benchmarks)

Install Fedora 9 x64-86 from DVD and do disk Benchmarks

This entry is part of HW for Virtualization

Home Storage OpenSolaris based Server (Check HW with Fedora 9)

Use Fedora 9 LiveCD for check HW capabilities

I will use a Fedora 9 LiveCD as HW diagnostic CD, because most of you will me more familiar with Linux then with OpenSolaris.

This entry is part of HW for Virtualization

Home Storage OpenSolaris based Server from AMD dual-core older PC

After upgrade of my home PC to AMD quad-core Phenom I got left some relatively powerful hardware:

Asus M2NPV-VM mATX motherboard with 2GB orf667Mhz DDRII and Dual Core Athlon X2 5400+ 65W

Normally I am selling old parts, but now I was wonder if I can build cheap OpenSolaris ZFS based file server from it.

This entry is part of HW for Virtualization

HW for Virtualization Workshops

Main page of my experience with HW for Virtualization

• Virtualization in Client/Server Development (2006 years prediction)

Description of HW and SW we used in our Virtualization Related Projects

• Part 1: Quad-Core Workstations for Desktop Virtualization Projects – Configuration

Main Motivations
   Todays Virtualization Technologies Sprawl
   Project HW Requirements
   Budget Constrains = Virtualization Workstation for $1000 each

• Part 2: Quad-Core Workstations for Desktop Virtualization Projects – Intel Core i7

Intel Second Generation Quad Core Workstation – Core i7
   Real Intel Core i7 + Nvidia HW Configuration
   Real Intel Core i7 + Nvidia HW Photos
   Getting Intel Core i7 Devices PCI IDs (Linux and OpenSolaris)

• Part 3: Quad-Core Workstations for Desktop Virtualization Projects – AMD Phenom II

AMD Second Generation Quad Core Workstation – Phenom II
   Real AMD Phenom II + ATI HW Configuration
   Real AMD Phenom II + ATI HW Photos
   Getting AMD Phenom II Devices PCI IDs (Linux and OpenSolaris)

• Part 4: Quad-Core Workstations for Desktop Virtualization Projects – Quad-Boot OS

Common OS Quad-Boot setup (4 Installed OSes)
   4 Recommended OSes
   OS Quad-Boot Layout
     Important:BIOS setup reparation before OSes install
     Use proprietary graphic drivers
     Set up 2 users ROOT and VIRTU
     Additional Storage drivers
     Static network setup

• OS Install {TBD}
• Part 6: Quad-Core Workstations for Desktop Virtualization Projects – Performance

HW Performance Tuning and HW Virtualization Stability
   Final HW Virtualization Support and Stability
      VMware Workstation 6.5.2
      Sun xVM VirtualBox 3.0.12
   Intel Core i7 Tuning
   AMD Phenom II Tuning

• Part 7: Quad-Core Workstations for Desktop Virtualization Projects – Backup / Restore

Backup and Restore OS Setup
   Format Backup Storage
   Initial OS backups with DD
   Select OS Backup / Restore Solution
   Backuping OSes with FS archiver

Experiment: Storage server from old hardware

• Home Storage OpenSolaris based Server from AMD dual-core older PC
• Home Storage OpenSolaris based Server (Check HW with Fedora 9)
• Home Storage OpenSolaris based Server (Install Fedora 9 & Benchmarks)