[03:43] hello [15:38] hi. [16:20] Hey h0 [16:20] h00k, [16:21] When you get a chance I have a quick question for you about vmware [18:45] bigbash: yo [18:45] yeah [18:45] bigbash: what's up [18:47] If you had the choice of adding a 3rd server with 2 procs 6 cores/ea or just maxing the RAM in the other 2 servers what would you do? [18:48] let me know if that doesn't make sense [18:53] bigbash: nah, it makes sense. Are you running into any processor contention? [18:53] bigbash: are you seeing CPU Ready Time on any of the servers? [18:54] s/servers/VMs [18:54] bigbash: also, do you have a need for 'true' FT? [18:55] haven't gotten them yet, we were going to do 3 servers but they decided to scale back costs and dropped the 3rd server but now they are worried about redundancy [18:55] The 2 servers we configured have 2 x5650s with 9x8GB sticks in each [18:56] bigbash: if they want to run anything in fault-tolerant mode, 3 for sure. Even if they want to have one that's not as 'beefy' as the others, they don't have to be identical hardware [18:57] Ok [18:57] because then you can still keep a server in FT-mode if one of the servers drop [18:57] We have 3x dual X5650 hosts [18:58] so we could use one of our newer servers that is becoming a virtual to make as a 3rd host and still have the FT? [18:58] and 196gb of mem [18:58] 196 over all 3? [18:58] in each [18:58] ok [18:58] bigbash: sure, you could [18:58] hmmm [18:58] how many hosts do you run? [18:58] you can repurpose an existing server, if they have Intel and Vx [18:59] the old server has dual intel xeons [18:59] bigbash: 3 hosts, 1 SAN, currently 126Vms [18:59] bigbash: cool, that should still work [18:59] if it can talk to whatever storage you have [18:59] That's what we are looking at 3 hosts, 1 SAN with 7.2TB [19:00] bigbash: nice. yeah, that's what we have. what SAN? [19:00] P4300 [19:00] HP [19:00] Ah, yeah. Cool [19:00] SAS SAN [19:01] Nice [19:01] bigbash: how many VMs do you plan? [19:01] around 120 would be max [19:02] Cool. What types of stuff are you doing? [19:02] for doing thin clients but over a 5yr period [19:02] bigbash: Ah, VDI. [19:02] plan on testing in about 6mo-1yr [19:02] bigbash: that's what we're doing with ours, hosted VDI stuffs. [19:02] nice [19:02] Are you doing VMware View, or Citrix XenDesktop? [19:03] hmm not sure yet [19:03] Ah, okay [19:03] I like view [19:03] I haven't used it yet :( [19:03] what are you using? [19:03] We use both XenDesktop and XenApp [19:03] ah [19:03] the school is using XenApp for terminal-server like sessions (windows 7) [19:03] I like XenApp [19:03] published desktops [19:04] Give em just what they need [19:04] appwis [19:04] appwise [19:04] and we have XenDesktop for our internal, demo, and a client on Oklahoma [19:04] Another school is being brought on, they'll be doing XenApp as well [19:05] you are on vsphere 4 right? [19:05] currently, yeah :( [19:05] I want to play with 5! [19:05] I read the release notes/errata, we should be okay! [19:05] i'm a little nervous about v5 licensing [19:05] Yeah, same here. I don't know what it'll do with us. [19:06] Although, I think we can get Academic licensing [19:06] because of the schools we're hosting [19:06] XenApp gives us way more density than running XenDesktops for a ton of people ;) [19:07] according to the vendor they think that with 2 hosts 2proc ea and 72GB RAM in each [19:08] we only need 1 license of vsphere5 Standard AK [19:08] Yeah, the standard, you get the three-host pack [19:08] which looks like it doesn't have FT [19:08] which is good for up to 3 hosts, 2 procs each, and...196 gigs of ram, I think [19:08] Standard doesn't, but the ... [19:08] * h00k looks [19:08] I just quoted it out for a client yesterday [19:09] Essentials Plus [19:09] V5 ESSENTIALS PLUS KIT 3HOST MAX 2CPU PER HOST AND 192GB VRAM [19:09] This is the licensing whitepaper I found for v5 [19:09] http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vsphere_pricing.pdf [19:09] is the line item [19:10] Yeah, get one of the kits [19:10] the Essentials Plus Kit will give you HA and FT, if you need it, anyway. [19:10] ok so we will max at 256GB if I read it correct right? [19:10] and inherently vMotion with the FT [19:11] bigbash: that's per-host [19:11] really?!?! [19:11] woohoo [19:11] 256GB max/host physical? [19:13] hang on, I have to figure out vRAM again. [19:13] I figured it out once. [19:14] ok [19:15] Yeah, pretty sure you're right [19:15] I hope so [19:15] don't wanna go back and ask for another huge chunk of money, and say oppps my bad [19:17] Right... [19:17] well, you should be able to talk directly to VMware and ask too, just to make sure [19:17] yea [19:18] vendor is supposed to call me at 3 with a vmware rep now [19:18] that'll help clear things up [19:18] Cool. [19:21] you have been a huge help [19:21] I don't even feel like I did anything! [19:21] but I'm here. [19:22] Also, on g-talk anthony.hook3@gmail.com anytime [19:22] sounds good [19:22] now to roll out linux desktops :) [19:22] ;) [19:22] Oh, is that the plan?! [19:22] That's even better [19:23] http://code.google.com/p/vmware-view-open-client/ etc [19:23] sweet [19:25] bigbash: are you doing linux desktops? [19:25] i'd like to but the software they use at the counters are win only [19:26] my stuff on the other hand [19:26] i can [19:29] Ah, okay. [19:29] I ask because... [19:29] I forget why. [19:30] I can also get my desktop via my TP [19:30] :) [19:31] :) [22:16] h00k, so final decision is 3 hosts 2x X5650 with 144GB RAM/ea [22:55] bigbash: :D