Hardware specs for server running 20 virtual machines

[Trey22]

I've been tasked to build a machine that can run 20 vm's. This is for a mobile training class, where 20 students will use their laptops and remote in (via TeamViewer) to their own vm (running Win10 Pro x64). The only software installed on these vm's will be our access control program and SQL Server Express 2016. We expect I/O to be pretty low.

I had spec'd out the following, but was told it wouldn't have the horsepower to run 20 vm's.

OS - undecided (ESXi / Win10 or Server 2016 using Hyper-V)
2 x Xeon 10-core CPU's (40 threads total, plan is to assign 2 vCPU's per vm)
128GB RAM (plan is to leave 8GB for host OS and then 6GB per vm)
2 x 1TB SSD's (plan is to RAID 0 them and have 50GB of disk space per vm)

Suggestions?

 

[piokos]

I had spec'd out the following, but was told it wouldn't have the horsepower to run 20 vm's.

1 core can comfortably run a single VM. End of story.
Maybe the Xeon you've chosen is very slow and that's the problem someone noticed (your post doesn't specify which model you'll use - maybe it's ancient).

Also, why would you RAID 0 two SSDs to divide them into 20 bins afterwards? It seems an unnecessary complication.

BTW: Have you considered moving this to the cloud? It would be much cheaper and easier to set up.

 

[kjboughton]

1 CPU can comfortably run a single VM. End of story.
Maybe the Xeon you've chosen is very slow and that's the problem someone noticed (your post doesn't specify which model you'll use - maybe it's ancient).

Also, why would you RAID 0 two SSDs to divide them into 20 bins afterwards? It seems an unnecessary complication.

BTW: Have you considered moving this to the cloud? It would be much cheaper and easier to set up.

I’m sorry your only response is full of stupid.

Dual 10 core Xeon is a good choice. I would recommend v3 or v4 Xeon if you can as he newest line is horribly expensive and will not provide lasting benefit.

You should RAID disks and give out portions vice a disk for each client AS THIS IS WHAT MICROSOFT RECOMMENDS. To answer the concern: this is what is recommended. The alternative is 20 separate disks and that’s what we in the business call retartded as this would defeat the purpose of virtualization at least from the standpoint of storage.

SQL server can be extremely I/O intensive. Transactions could be slow in he case of shared mechanical disks. I would highly recommend SSDs with high I/O provided by a REAL Hardware RAID solution with good VM capabilities.

Ps the Cloud is for losers. No security if you don’t have physical control. I’m not saying physical control is ALL that’s needed for security; rather, no physical control = no pretense of security. You’re welcome.

 

[piokos]

I’m sorry your only response is full of stupid.

Any particular part you could mention? Why so aggressive?

Dual 10 core Xeon is a good choice.

Isn't that what I said?

You should RAID disks and give out portions vice a disk for each client AS THIS IS WHAT MICROSOFT RECOMMENDS. To answer the concern: this is what is recommended. The alternative is 20 separate disks and that’s what we in the business call retartded as this would defeat the purpose of virtualization at least from the standpoint of storage.

Show me the recommendation about RAID. I never said he ought to create 20 separate fixed drives.

Ps the Cloud is for losers.

This seems like an opinion coming from the previous decade. I'm sure you love hardware (as most people on this forum), but criticizing cloud in 2018 is funny at least. What else do you believe in? Flat Earth?

No security if you don’t have physical control.

And here's an opinion from 2 centuries ago (at least).
Are you one of those people who think that cash kept at home is safer than deposited in a bank?

Yes, some companies can't keep data in public cloud (e.g. financial institutions) due to legislation. But OP is setting up a database training, not a banking system.

 

[kjboughton]

Any particular part you could mention? Why so aggressive?

Isn't that what I said?

Show me the recommendation about RAID. I never said he ought to create 20 separate fixed drives.

This seems like an opinion coming from the previous decade. I'm sure you love hardware (as most people on this forum), but criticizing cloud in 2018 is funny at least. What else do you believe in? Flat Earth?

And here's an opinion from 2 centuries ago (at least).
Are you one of those people who think that cash kept at home is safer than deposited in a bank?

Yes, some companies can't keep data in public cloud (e.g. financial institutions) due to legislation. But OP is setting up a database training, not a banking system.

QQ more

Not needed or allowed in the
tech forums.

AT Mod Usandthem

 

[kjboughton]

QQ more

Not needed or allowed in the
tech forums.

AT Mod Usandthem

Allowed in non-tech forums?
Mod, please move to appropriate forum so that I may continue my dissertation on stupid.


Stop with the insults.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director

 

[you2]

You can solve most of the cloud side of things by encrypting stuff but this isn't a relevant forum for either you original question or cloud. This forum is for barebones where you buy the shell of machine (usually case, psu, mb, cpu) and add a few tidbits (ram, disk, ...).

I would use linux myself but i'm sure you have an unstated reason for using windows. As to horsepower - there really isn't enough being said about the student work load (or education level of the students). Certainly if this is a high school course I would think you have ample processing power. I can't comment on the ram because I'm not familiar with windows tools to know if they will run comfortably in 6GB or the expected usage of students.
-
Quite frankly for the stated application I would look into the cost of using amazon cloud; I mean even if you left things wide open from a security perspective how sensitive is is this student work (i'm assuming it is class work but perhaps this is a grad class with a gran to develop a top secret virus for the military - who knows).