New Virtualization workstation

[intrepidnewbie]

Approximate Purchase Date: In 2 weeks maximum

Budget Range: 5,000$ after shipping, taxes and rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Virtualization platform, various servers environments, multiplatform development, light gaming

Parts Not Required: OS (I'll use either Xen or ESXi), Mouse, Keyboard, Monitor(s), Hard Drives

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: NCIX or Newegg.ca

Country: Canada

Parts Preferences: Server-class Intel CPU, Tyan or Supermicro Motherboard

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 1280x1024 + 1920x1080 (2 monitors)

Additional Comments: Intel VT-d (or AMD's IO-V) is a must, would appreciate if it would be quiet and doesnt look fancy (No 'Gamer' case design and/or lights)

I had in mind:

CPU(s): 2 x Intel Xeon E5-2630

CPU Cooler(s): 2 x Noctua NH-U9B

Case, MB, PSU: Supermicro 7047R-3RF4+

RAM: 8 x Samsung 4GB ECC Reg

Video Card(s): 3x Powercolor Radeon HD 7750 (I'm planning to use an IOMMU to passthrough these to VMs)

Sound Card: ASUS Xonar DX

Any suggestions or advice regarding that build?

EDIT: Fixed RAM stick count

 

[g-unit1111]

RAM: Samsung 4GB ECC Reg

Only 4GB on a server / workstation? You'll want way more than that.

I'd suggest something like this:

Case: Cooler Master Cosmos II - $349.99
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKII 910W - $149.99
Motherboard: EVGA Classified SR-X - $689.99
CPU: 3.1GHz Intel Xeon E5-2670 x 2 - $1,539.99 each
Cooling: 2 x Noctua NH-D14 LGA 2011 Edition - $99.99 each
RAM: 64GB G.Skill Ripjaw X 1333MHz 1.6V - $415.99
SSD: 128GB Crucial M4 - $164.99
Optical: LG BD-R Burner - $79.99
Video Card: 2 x ATI Fire Pro V7800 - $619.99
OS: Windows 7 Pro - $139.99

For this build I chose the Cosmos II because it's one of the few on the market that is a true XL-ATX case. The motherboard may be a bit questionable on the choice but it's one of the few on the market that supports a dual Xeon E5 configuration and has a built in audio card so you don't need the sound card. The video cards are also professional grade as well and are far easier to setup multiple monitors on.

 

[intrepidnewbie]

Oops, completely forgot the quantity for the RAM! It was meant to be 8 of those sticks. (Otherwise it indeed doesnt work out)

Your suggestion looks nice, 3 issues tho:

1. Without counting shipping & taxes, it reaches 6498$. Thats a tad over my budget

2. I've had bad experiences trying to make VT-d reliably work using consumer grade motherboards. Mainly conflicts with PCIe and disk controllers, thats why Id prefer server grade boards.

3. That CPU cooler is HUGE! Does both physcially fits on the Mobo?


Thanks for your advice!

 

[g-unit1111]

1. Without counting shipping & taxes, it reaches 6498$. Thats a tad over my budget

I probably should have added that up first. :lol:

2. I've had bad experiences trying to make VT-d reliably work using consumer grade motherboards. Mainly conflicts with PCIe and disk controllers, thats why Id prefer server grade boards.

The SR-X isn't technically a consumer grade motherboard as most casual users and gamers will have no use for dual Xeons but it should work, I've never worked with VT-d so I can't really say for sure.

3. That CPU cooler is HUGE! Does both physcially fits on the Mobo?

Now that I think about it - I'm not sure, on the SR-2 they would fit easily, but the SR-X positions the sockets a bit closer together. Maybe a smaller cooler like the Noctua NH-U9B would work better. I've never built a dual CPU system before so it's hard to say what would and wouldn't work.

 

[intrepidnewbie]

Adding in your suggestions, would a build like this fit my needs?

CPU(s): 2 x Intel Xeon E5-2630
Much better performance/price ratio than the E5-2670
CPU Cooler(s): 2 x Noctua NH-U9B
That one should fit on any mobo, especially if I remove one of the fans
Case: Cooler Master Cosmos II
Motherboard: SuperMicro X9DAi (Couldnt find it on Newegg or NCIX)
Id prefer not to tempt my luck with the SR-X or the Asus Z9PE-D8 WS, due to controller issues with VT-d, and none of the other Supermicro boards would work (either wrong socket format or no PCIE slots). Do you have any other board suggestions?
PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer MKII 910W
RAM: 64GB G.Skill Ripjaw X 1333MHz 1.6V
I notice these sticks arent ECC Reg. How would that affect the overall performance/reliability of the build compared to my first idea?
Video Card(s): 2x ATI Fire Pro V7800
Much more expensive than my first idea, but they have better chances of working with VT-d, being professional video cards

 

[g-unit1111]

Id prefer not to tempt my luck with the SR-X or the Asus Z9PE-D8 WS, due to controller issues with VT-d, and none of the other Supermicro boards would work (either wrong socket format or no PCIE slots). Do you have any other board suggestions?

I honestly don't know of any motherboards that have dual LGA 2011 sockets other than the SR-X or the Asus board.

I notice these sticks arent ECC Reg. How would that affect the overall performance/reliability of the build compared to my first idea?

I'm not entirely sure - that goes way beyond my area of expertise.

Much more expensive than my first idea, but they have better chances of working with VT-d, being professional video cards

Yes - the professional grade video cards will work far better and 2 x Fire Pro 7800 will run up to an 8 monitor setup.

 

[azeem40]

RAM has not needed ECC for a while, so you should be fine.