Video Card for A Server running VMs .... (new to me)

[neko77025]

Sup.

I am not new to VMs at all, Been running them for years on my main rig for stuff like Surfing the net (So I dont get Virus/Spyware ect ect)

However, A month back I picked up A HP ProLiant ML350 G6. I have got it up in running, Right now I have windows 10 installed on, but will be changing that to Server 2012 later on. I am in the process of Installing VMs and having them stream to the TVs in my house and A few VMs for some online stuff. I plan on running 4 VMs of Windows 10 and 2 of ubuntu /mint, 1 PFsense and 1 FreeNAS

Server stats 2x X5670 (12core/24Thread), 144gb DDR3 1333, 2x SAS SSDs, 2x 10kSAS, 4x WD red 1tb. (think I am going to use some WD Blacks for VMs )


So 8 VMs , Ea VM wiill have about 8gb and 2x cores.

These will not be playing games, Mosly for watching youtube / net surfing.

My Issue.

Windows 10 hates the on board gpu ( its A server motherboard, I understand). I want to get something to replace this. But I dont want spend alot. Maybe 150.00 max ... Will even buy off ebay.

Anyones help/ thoughts are welcome. Thanks



(Edit) Adding PFsense and FreeNAS VM, removed one Win10

 

[phanbuey]

so questions:

What virtualization platform are you using? VMware / VirutalBox etc...?

What version?

Its going to be pretty much an easy choice since platform hw support >>> any real world performance difference.

 

[silentbogo]

Sup.

I am not new to VMs at all, Been running them for years on my main rig for stuff like Surfing the net (So I dont get Virus/Spyware ect ect)

However, A month back I picked up A HP ProLiant ML350 G6. I have got it up in running, Right now I have windows 10 installed on, but will be changing that to Server 2012 later on. I am in the process of Installing VMs and having them stream to the TVs in my house and A few VMs for some online stuff. I plan on running 5 maybe 6 VMs of Windows 10 and 2 of ubuntu or mint.

So 8 VMs , Ea VM wiill have about 8gb and 2x cores.

These will not be playing games, Mosly for watching youtube / net surfing.

My Issue.

Windows 10 hates the on board gpu ( its A server motherboard, I understand). I want to get something to replace this. But I dont want spend alot. Maybe 150.00 max ... Will even buy off ebay.

Anyones help/ thoughts are welcome. Thanks

GT730 (preferably 2nd gen). You can probably find some used ones from DELL workstations on eBay. Some may even come in PCIe x1 form factor: those you can stick into all available slots and use GPU passthrough for each VM that needs a dedicated card.
Alternatively, there is PCI-e x1 model from Zotac (actually, they do have GT710, GT720, and GT730 in this form factor):
https://www.zotac.com/ir/product/graphics_card/gt-730-pcie-x1

Those sell on eBay for ~$50-$60, but may be cheaper if you look hard enough.

 

[neko77025]

virtualbox is what have been using for long time and use right now .. (the latest version)

However when / if I go to Server 2012 ... I think I want to Hyper-V ? .... But I am not sure ..

So lets say for right .. I know how to use Virtualbox .. lol. I know its more basic.

I was looking at the GT730 Zotac ones .. they are only 70.00 on newegg.com


And I edit the OP ... Want to have A FreeNAS and PFsense VM also, Will remove one of the Win 10 VMs and add one more over all.

 

[Nosada]

If you know how to use Virtualbox to set up several VM's, the change to Hyper-V or ESXi isn't that hard. I'd consider Hyper-V the easier of the two to start with, but even an ESXi server isn't that complicated to set up, just pickier concerning hardware. If you're used to the Windows mindset I'd just go for Hyper-V, but might as well go all the way to 2016 if you like: Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V is free to use. Concepts concerning virtualization of disk, compute and network are pretty much universal across all different platforms, it's just that the possibilities get incrementally more complex.

Just one extra note: ZFS is possible in a VM, though not encouraged. That said, plenty of people have done it without issues.

 

[neko77025]

If you know how to use Virtualbox to set up several VM's, the change to Hyper-V or ESXi isn't that hard. I'd consider Hyper-V the easier of the two to start with, but even an ESXi server isn't that complicated to set up, just pickier concerning hardware. If you're used to the Windows mindset I'd just go for Hyper-V, but might as well go all the way to 2016 if you like: Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V is free to use. Concepts concerning virtualization of disk, compute and network are pretty much universal across all different platforms, it's just that the possibilities get incrementally more complex.

Just one extra note: ZFS is possible in a VM, though not encouraged. That said, plenty of people have done it without issues.

I was Looking At Windows Server 2012 , thinking it came with Hyper V and its only 120.00 on ebay for A new copy. 2016 is alot .. more.

I have never used any of the windows server OS , so it will all be new to me.

 

[Nosada]

I was Looking At Windows Server 2012 , thinking it came with Hyper V and its only 120.00 on ebay for A new copy. 2016 is alot .. more.

I have never used any of the windows server OS , so it will all be new to me.

Wowowowowowowowwwwwwwwwooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow, stop, full stop, hold it right there buckaroo!

W2012 and 2016 Hyper-V edition are TOTALLY free to use. Unless if you have some need for one of the non-basic roles, you can get by with these versions for most SOHO usage.

Secondly, don't be scared of Windows Server. There is very little difference aside from a management tool for installing and controlling the roles. Those are the meat and gravy of Windows Server, but they can be incredibly complex. Luckily, you can take those in one at a time and as you feel like it/feel the need.

 

[neko77025]

So I dont need R2 version ? ...

Like I said .. I am new to these server OS. Did not think Microsoft gave anything way for free ....

 

[Kursah]

Hyper-V has been available on OSes since Windows 8, which aligns with Server 2012. 8.1 aligns with 2012 R2. 10 aligns with 2016. All consumer OSes use similar versions of Hyper-V that correlates to the server OS.

Makes for setting up virtual labs a cheap and easy solution that you can migrate from server to consumer OS, I used it for college and for various lab exercises to this day.

MS Server OSes are very similar to their consumer OS counterparts, they just include more management options and use roles and features to let you deploy how they'll work.

2012R2 is a great way to go IMHO, 2016 is still pretty new but so far is decent. You can even use ClassicShell free to get a regular start menu in 2012 and 2012 R2 (again like Windows 8, so used the tile metro interface when you click start button).

 

[remixedcat]

Umm if you run VMs for security you'd better be placing those on another VLAN or else it will spread to other machines on the subnet! Get a router that supports VLANs or you can look up alternative firmware for your existing router that works.

I recommend DDWRT or Tomato... Hyper-V is easy to map a VM to another VLAN!

One limitation of consumer Hyper-V-->It needs SRIOV or VT-D support for HV to work but the Server releases don't need SRIOV or SLAT as well

Also here's more differences in client hyper-v vs server hyper-v:
There are some features included in Hyper-V on server that are not included in Client Hyper-V. These include the following:

• The Remote FX capability to virtualize GPUs
  
  
• Live migration of virtual machines from one host to another
  
  
• Hyper-V Replica
  
  
• Virtual Fibre Channel
  
  
• 32-bit SR-IOV networking
  
  
• Shared .vhdx

 

[Toothless]

I ran 7 VMs on W10 using VMWare and they really don't use any GPU power.. HyperV is available on W10 too..

 

[neko77025]

Umm if you run VMs for security you'd better be placing those on another VLAN or else it will spread to other machines on the subnet! Get a router that supports VLANs or you can look up alternative firmware for your existing router that works.

I recommend DDWRT or Tomato... Hyper-V is easy to map a VM to another VLAN!

Was Planing on making one of the VMs A PFsense router, Going to play around with that. But this is really just something to play with A test ... if it works like I want it .. that would be epic.

1st PFsense Router [ 4x Threads / 8gb ]
2nd FreeNas for DVR nothing I care about [ 2x Threads / 4gb ]
3rd Windows 10 for Streaming to TV (Mom use / Net) (NZXT DOKO) [ 2x Threads / 8gb ]
4th Windows 10 for Streaming to TV (Dad Net stuff) (NZXT DOKO) [ 2x Threads / 8gb ]
5th Windows 10 Web Browsing (Remote desktop) [ 2x Threads / 8gb ]
6th Windows 95 for MTGlanesWalker (Rmote desktop) [ 1x Threads / 2gb ]
7th Linux Mint for cus to use my IP for this web game he plays (He will use Teamviewer ) [ 2x Threads / 4gb ]
....
Later on
8th NAS for some IP security cameras... but thats still A ways off.

 

[neko77025]

I ran 7 VMs on W10 using VMWare and they really don't use any GPU power.. HyperV is available on W10 too..

This server only has A ATI ES1000 on it ... it cant even run windows 10. Cant find A windows 10 driver for it, that dont help. ... think I am getting 1024 x 768 .... its bad.

I did order one of the GT 730... will try that

 

[Toothless]

This server only has A ATI ES1000 on it ... it cant even run windows 10. Cant find A windows 10 driver for it, that dont help. ... think I am getting 1024 x 768 .... its bad.

I did order one of the GT 730... will try that

It will use vram but that's about it for the most part. Let's hope that 730 fits the bill.