Looking for Win Server 2012 Home Lab Advice

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mikeyjm26

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Jun 26, 2014
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Hi guys,

I'm new to the Hyper V virtualisation and was looking for some advice on hardware to create a lab. I was looking at getting an Intel i5-4590 processor with 16Gb of ram but don't know which motherboard or graphics card to select. I am on a budget so can't spend a fortune and would prefer to get a Mirco atx if possible. Also want to run server 2012 r2 and hyper V server 2012 instead of having Win 8 installed and using them as VM's to run.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mikey
 
If it's a Hyper-V server and not a workstation then you don't need a graphics card unless you're trying to do some RemoteFX crap on it.

Intel NUC, small, lower power, 16GB. Only problems with a NUC is limited storage and 1x NIC. However, I've seen other NUCs with 2x NICs.
 
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I did consider the NUC but like you said it has limited storage which is what put me off. I was looking at a small tower instead as I thought it would allow me room to expand but need some advice on choosing a motherboard.
 
Why do you need advice on motherboard? You haven't given a single requirement other than CPU and that you prefer Micro-ATX. Literally any motherboard in the correct socket fits your needs at this point...

Go to newegg, pick Intel Motherboard, pick the correct socket. Then A) Sort by review or B) narrow the selection using the tools on the left side and then sort by review...the end.
 
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Hi MysticRyuujin,

I was after advice on a motherboard in case there was a particular brand that I should stay away from or one that was recommended. Also if a certain feature wasn't available ie VT. I have since found out that looking at the manufacturers website and the specs of the motherboards doesn't list what I need to know, you need to look at the actual manual!!!

The requirement I was after was to be able to run Win Server 2012 R2, Hyper V Server 2012 and additional VM's. Also whether a graphics card was needed or whether the on board was capable of coping. I suggested a CPU and Micro-ATX but to be honest I don't know if it that is what I should be going for which is why I was asking for advice.

I have never used Newegg before but have only just found out that they have started distributing to the UK.
 
VT-d is a feature of CPUs, not motherboards. So any motherboard with the correct socket for your CPU will work. Things you need to consider are if you want ECC RAM, how many PCIe slots you want, and HDDs.

Since it sounds like you want a small (physical) size, then you'd probably be best spent looking at desktop boards versus server class hardware. This will get you the smaller size, as well as the lower price point in CPU and RAM.

I would personally look for one with dual Intel NICs. You'll want to over estimate your RAM usage. And if you can swing it, try to go with SSD(s) for your guest OS storage. You will not need a gfx card unless you need your guest OS to have higher gfx capabilities, but this opens up a large bag of worms and I am assuming you wont need this.
 
J-Will many thanks for that. What difference will having ECC v non- ECC ram be? Is there a desktop motherboard with dual NIC's?. I was going to go with a couple of 64Gb Sandisk SSD's and a have a 1Tb WD share storage.
 
Look at the Gigabyte Brix over the NUC

ECC doesn't matte for lab use.
 
WoodiE said:
This isn't entirely true, your motherboard also must support VT-d along with the CPU as well. (source).

Most server boards do support VT-d but not all desktop motherboards.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected. I have seen it on desktop boards so I jumped to a conclusion.
 
mikeyjm26 said:
J-Will many thanks for that. What difference will having ECC v non- ECC ram be? Is there a desktop motherboard with dual NIC's?. I was going to go with a couple of 64Gb Sandisk SSD's and a have a 1Tb WD share storage.
Click to expand...

I would not trouble yourself with this issue right now. ECC is more expensive, and most likely a wasted cost on a home lab.

While it is a bit more uncommon, some desktop boards do come with dual NICs. Hyper-V is a bit more forgiving with brand and type, however I would still recommend Intel NICs.

Just to get up and running, you wont need much. A decent CPU, with a good portion of RAM, and some storage. But if you have more specific wants, you should describe them so that the parts you pick could be more tailored to fit your use while staying with a budget that you also mention. You could do anything from something like a NUC or laptop, to building something geared toward you, but some details are missing.

For your use so far, a core i5 with 16GB of RAM and some SSDs sounds like its going to work for your. Sure, if you can swing for the i7 it would be recommended to do so. Pick a motherboard that fits your criteria and you'll be set. Load up Windows Server on one of your SSDs, and select the other(s) as a storage location for your guest OS's.

Hyper-V is a great entry level feature, as it has a well designed GUI and could be described as more user-friendly menus. It is much easier to get devises working within Hyper-V as most of the time a windows driver is all that is needed. But do not forget that VMware's ESXi can be downloaded for free. I would recommend that if you chose to build a server, that you pick out hardware that is supported by ESXi. Your path now might be to use Hyper-V, and it might be a few years before you decide to try something else, but a tad bit of extra planning now will help you get longer life out of your hardware.
 
This thread from a few days ago seems to have relevant information for your needs:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1823465

WoodiE has a link to his write-up for the NUC, and why it is a strong contender. In your case, storage space would be very limited, as Hyper-V takes up more space on the harddrive. But again, without knowing how many guest OSs you will be using, using simultaneously, etc, it is tough to guide you.
 
Thanks for that J-Will. I am quite familiar with ESXi but it is for a test lab for a Microsoft certification otherwise I would use it. To be honest I would probably expect to running maybe 2-3 servers with a couple of clients. I don't imagine using anything else at this stage but once I get more familiar I will look at other options.

I did investigate the NUC and Gigabye Brix and they would be perfect if they were a lot cheaper. Size wise they are exactly what I'm looking for but adding in the extras just to get it to a decent spec compared to a more traditional build I would need to have more money to burn. I would love a couple of them but I will have to wait.
 
Why not look into a workstation or server system that is about the size of your standard desktop system, such as the HP ML310e G8? For the cost of the system, it's hard to beat. First, you can get a base system with a Xeon E3-1220 V3 quad-core processor for less cost than buying a new desktop system with a Core i5-4590. It's an actual server-class system built not only for this sort of usage but with driver support as well. Yes, you'll need to purchase additional DDR3 ECC Unbuffered memory and hard drives, but the overall cost will come out to be only slightly more than a standard desktop. If it's not a production environment don't hassle with buying HP hard drives for it either, just get the compatible Gen8 caddies (Amazon, Ebay, even Newegg carry these) and put in your own hard drives to save on expense. You also don't have to use HP memory, you can use Kingston or other ECC Unbuffered RAM.

You may be able to find some decently priced refurbished previous generation gear as well online if you wish, and perhaps save some more money that way as well.
 
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