Linux or Windows Server Using AMD Processor

I have nothing against AMD Processors for server platforms.
Picked up two Dell 6105's from ebay for cheap.
4U = 72 cores and 192GB of memory. (six nodes)
All AMD based.
XenServer turned 'em into fantastic testing platforms.

So far, I have yet to have an issue running AMD CPUs.
That said, at work, it's all Intel. (I don't make the purchasing choices though)
 
using my netbook for over 5 years with linux and abusing it as a ventrilo server ;)
 
I am typically all Intel at my clients, but I have two clients running AMD on their servers. One is an Phenom II X6 1100t running SBS 2011 Standard, and one is an FX-6300 running Server 2012R2. No issues to speak of with either one.
 
my opensuse/owncloud server has been running fine off of a kabini chip for the last year.
 
I've run CentOS6 on a home server with a Kabini board (E1-2100) for a good while with zero issues, pretty nice low power setup. Ran RHEL6 on a Phenom X6 1055t for a long while, again no problems. Also, at work, we've had different Sun and IBM machines with various Opterons over long periods running anything from Solaris to Linux and those machines were always great and I can't think of a single problem we ever had with one.

Of course, my desktop is an FX-8350 which I use mostly for Ubuntu for my primary personal use. From my experience, FX processors are well leveraged by Linux.
 
I was considering an FX processor for possible virtualization with Linux. Micro Center has a great price on the FX-8320E, but there is not one close to me.
 
I've been running Windows Home Server V1 (Server 2003) and WHS 2011 (Server 2008 R2) on AMD for several years.

I use ECC RAM and low-power 45w CPUs since they are basically file and backup servers. Everything has been and continues to be working fine.
 
Have had better experience with AMD than previously with Xeon. Rock solid, runs cooler due to larger heat sink surface area, doesn't constantly ramp the system fans up and down and much better value.
 
I think you should use whichever you're more comfortable with regardless of CPU.
 
I don't know why you wouldn't?

Almost all of our ESXi hypervisors are AMD powered at work. I think we just hit over 500 virtual machines if I recall correctly. Even at home my ESXi 5.5 box is powered by an older Phenom processor(only running my usenet/plex vm, untangle, and a centos 7 test box).
 
i dont like non intel nics is what it usually comes down to for me. but to each their own
 
There's nothing "wrong" with using AMD for server applications.
I've got a pair of 6105's running a gaming server shard and they just rock.
Intel just happens to be a slightly bigger/better bang per buck (better IPC, lower power consumption).
But if you go AMD, you aren't "missing out" on anything.
 
At home my fileserver is on an Intel board, but for S&G i installed Server2012 on an old Compaq mITX board with an Athlon II to play around with. A little slow, but runs everything just fine.
 
The only problem to consider with the AMD solution is the higher power consumption and poorer idle power usage.

With that said to the OP:

Need to know your specification, the OS doesn't care which CPU you have but the OS' are drastically different. If you want to know which one will run better on AMD hardware, either are as good the rest but you should chose your OS based on the intended purpose.

Plus if you want to use 2012 R2 you are going to pay out the butt for it. So it better be worth it!
 
AMD CPU's are perfectly suited for servers. Don't know what would give you the opposite idea.

My first server was an Athlon X2 at 1.8Ghz
Then I switched to a AMD Zacate E350
Then I moved to a AMD FX-8120, and 2 years later got a cheap FX-8350 and dropped it in

Now I'm on a dual Xeon L5640, but that's just because Its what I happened to find cheap on eBay.

That being said, I wouldn't use any Microsoft products on any server of mine :p I just don't consider anything Microsoft to be worthy of a server.

Romale23 said:
i dont like non intel nics is what it usually comes down to for me. but to each their own
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I will agree that on board NIC's on consumer motherboards - while fine for desktop use - are usually not very well suited for servers. They are usually Realtek chip, and realtek chips are usually AWFUL for server purposes.

Some higher end consumer motherboards (Like my Asus P9X79WS come with Intel Ethernet on them, but most are Realteks.

Most server motherboards come with Intel ethernet, some with Broadcom. Broacom's NetXtreme line really isn't bad either, but Intel really is the best from a NIC perspective.

Not a big deal though as used Intel Pro/1000 PT NIC's are reliably pretty cheap on eBay (I just ordered a quad port server pull for $59, Single ports are significantly cheaper)
 
steelodon said:
I was considering an FX processor for possible virtualization with Linux. Micro Center has a great price on the FX-8320E, but there is not one close to me.
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Similar to what I did a few years back. I got a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 and FX-8120 combo package for only $200 not too long after the Bulldozer launch.

Was a great server platform, except you'll find that ECC support can be sketchy on any consumer board, AMD or Intel. At least all 990FX boards support IOMMU (same as Intel's VT-d, which you'll want if you plan on virtualizing) Intel's consumer boards rarely support VT-d and it is very poorly documented which do.

The biggest downside to this solution was that all 990FX boards have only 4 DDR3 slots, which means an effective 32GB RAM limit. (unless you can get your hands on ultra rare 16GB DDR3 DIMM's), and 32GB can be a little light for virtualization. When Virtualizing, the RAM is always what runs out first :p

What I eventually wound up doing (and I fully recommend to everyone these days) is to go with used server hardware, rather than getting new consumer hardware.

Server motherboards & CPU's from either vendor will always support more RAM, always fully support ECC and always (unless really old) support IOMMU/VT-d and always come with decent onboard ethernet, suitable for server tasks (Intel or Broadcomm)

Personally I got a New old stock Supermicro X8DTE motherboard for $150 on eBay, and got a pair of Xeon L5640's for $100 for both, also on eBay.

They are a little older, but perform well, and now I have 12 real cores, (24 logical with HT) They are only 2.28Ghz base (turbo up to 2.8), but per core speed is less important in most server tasks.

Not bad for only $50 more than I spent on my new AMD combo. I wish I had done this to being with.

I also got 12 RAM slots, and stuck 8GB Registered ECC DIMM's in each for 96GB total.

The AMD FX system lives on though, as my 7 year old stepsons first gaming rig :p
 
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