RE: [Xen-users] Home Xen hypervisor for master's project

[Ryan Holt <ryan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I recently built a home Xen server to both play with and run a few servers at 
my house. I decided I'd spend a little more money and get server grade gear and 
have been very happy with what I have so far:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139024
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117225
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182235

You'll need a few disks and a case. I used software RAID and used the 6 SATA 
connectors on the board along with an old Coolermaster case. I purchased 3x 
5.25 to 5x3.5" hdd adapter to make things easier. Next I'll buy one of these 
cases to replace the Coolermaster that it's currently running in:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811219038&cm_re=4224-_-11-219-038-_-Product


-----Original Message-----
From: xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Todd Deshane
Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2011 8:11 PM
To: Joseph Commisso
Cc: Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Xen-users] Home Xen hypervisor for master's project

On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 1:02 AM, Joseph Commisso <commissoje@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 7:21 PM, Todd Deshane <todd.deshane@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>> On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 8:02 PM, Joseph Commisso <commissoje@xxxxxxxxx> 
>> wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> Could somebody please help me with a few hardware questions?
>>>
>>> I am building a home Xen server to implement a Xen Cloud for my 
>>> master's project comparing SOA.
>>> I will probably use Linux guest OSs, but I may want to use a Windows 
>>> guest for home PC use.
>>>
>>
>> Can you go into more detail about what features you plan to implement?
>
> Well, I really do not know too much about Cloud computing, grids 
> (Globus), or parallel programming, all of which I would like to touch 
> upon or possibly go into more depth.

You might find these useful for background (you or your school will need an ACM 
account):
http://techpack.acm.org/cloud/
http://techpack.acm.org/parallel/

> I was thinking of implementing a grid on the cloud, but then I saw 
> documentation referring to a cloud on a grid, so when I get there, I 
> will work that one out.
> My instructor said to compare what I do against SOA, which will give 
> me something to work on there as well.
>
> I am fairly proficient with Linux administration with some abilities 
> on other areas, like networking, hardware and some minor software 
> programming.
> So, I do not know what I will need to implement at this point. I hope 
> to learn as I go and see if I can come up with something useful.
> I want to build this virtual server at home, since the machines that I 
> have access to at school are slow and also because school is 50 miles 
> away and I have no other classes to attend, so working at home on this 
> seems like the way to do it.
>>
>> Also, what type of interfaces do you expect to provide to users? How 
>> will they connect? etc.
>
> What I know how to do is use xdmcp for remote sessions.
> If I do set up a grid or cluster, then there may be some interface 
> which that uses.
> Again, I hope to be able to find out when I get there.
> I plan on choosing a motherboard/CPU and then building the rest of the 
> machine around those.
> I have a coworker who suggested the AMD line and said that due to the 
> way the CPU connects to the bus and the rest of the motherboard, that 
> three cores is optimal.
> I did not get a chance to talk to him about a hypervisor machine and 
> whether that also applied to the three cores.
>
>>
>>> I have been trying to make a decision on the CPU and motherboard to 
>>> purchase and really could use some help.
>>>
>>> I have read the wiki post at:
>>> http://wiki.xen.org/xenwiki/VTdHowTo?highlight=(vtd)
>>>
>>> 1) For my purposes, is IOMMU important?
>>> If so, then also, for my purposes, it looks like the ASUS Crosshair 
>>> IV Formula may be a good choice.
>>>
>>> ** I would appreciate any input, as to the Crosshair or other, like the 
>>> M4A89TD.
>>>
>>> Now for the CPU and I have really not been able to determine how 
>>> many cores is optimal for this server.
>>> I have a knowledgeable coworker who says that three cores is optimal 
>>> and I have not been able to find information to support that or 
>>> dispute it.
>>>
>>> 2) The Phenom II series seems to be attractive, so I have been 
>>> concentrating on those, but can someone also help me with the X3, 
>>> X4, or X6 decision?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Joe
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Xen-users mailing list
>>> Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
>>>
>>
>
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> Xen-users mailing list
> Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
>

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