WHS/Server Box, parts?

[soulesschild]

I'm trying to build/save up for a WHS/Server Boxxen.

Going to mainly be running Server 2008 and virtualizing WHS since I want to play with Windows Server 2008 and learn how to admin it for my MCSA training and stuff.

Figured I'd need a fairly beefy CPU to VM with a nice chunk of ram.

CPU: Q9550
Ram: 8GB of whatever the mobo needs/wants
Mobo: ? (I may steal my current rig's Rampage Formula and just upgrade to i7 on the main rig, but I have no idea how good the Rampage Formula serves as a server/fileserver board)
Case: Norco or an Antec 300 (Are Norco's fairly loud? The server is probably going to sit in my room so I don't want super noisy fans etc)
PSU: Corsair 750
HDDs: 640AAKS/AALS OS drive, rest with 1.5TB/2TB drives

Am I missing anything? Changes? Tips? Tricks? Barrel roll?

 

[lt_shiro]

MCITP labs, don't need Q9550 to run server 2008. I have 7750 kuma and that handles 2 servers and 3 clients with no problems.

I would suggest getting a Athlon2 x2 240 for the job.

 

[colinstu]

When running multiple virtual servers, clients all booting at the same time, with the rig in the sig... things can get a little bogged down... but will run just fine after that.

CPU sounds fine, might want to stick a little 3.2GHz OC or something on it, all that ram should be nice, for HD's, honestly, those disks can be randomly accessed like crazy depending how busy the clients are running... might just want to add in a 300GB velociraptor (for decent speed for decent amount of virtual machines) or SSD (might be a little small, really $$).

High res monitor is nice if you don't already have one.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to gimp down to a lower processor, sure it would work, but more cores for spreading things out a little more is always nice.

 

[nitrobass24]

I'm trying to build/save up for a WHS/Server Boxxen.

Going to mainly be running Server 2008 and virtualizing WHS since I want to play with Windows Server 2008 and learn how to admin it for my MCSA training and stuff.

Figured I'd need a fairly beefy CPU to VM with a nice chunk of ram.

CPU: Q9550
Ram: 8GB of whatever the mobo needs/wants
Mobo: ? (I may steal my current rig's Rampage Formula and just upgrade to i7 on the main rig, but I have no idea how good the Rampage Formula serves as a server/fileserver board)
Case: Norco or an Antec 300 (Are Norco's fairly loud? The server is probably going to sit in my room so I don't want super noisy fans etc)
PSU: Corsair 750
HDDs: 640AAKS/AALS OS drive, rest with 1.5TB/2TB drives

Am I missing anything? Changes? Tips? Tricks? Barrel roll?

That looks pretty good to be honest.
I like the 9550 its a great CPU for VM's
One thing that you will not want is the Norco if its going to be in your room. They are Loud.

What all are you going to virtualize besides WHS?
For WHS when you do the VM install make sure the system VHD is on the IDE controller.
Then do a disk pass-through to the SCSI controller for the DATA disk(s).

If your going to be doing more than 2 VMs then I would get a velociraptor or SSD.
Running VMs requires a lot of IO so if your just gonna run a WHS, and maybe a linux box or a test 2008 box for MCSA then dont worry about it.
But if your gonna virtualize exchange, and AD, etc, etc. then you may want a faster drive for the OSs.