So I've finally decided to go for my first server build. Before I do so, I thought it would be a good idea to vent out some ideas from you guys!
I'm going to set up my server mainly as a domain controller, but also rotate on some other roles as well, for testing purposes. It will probably get re-installed quite a few times, for testing different setups etc.
I don't have a huge budget for this build, so I'm thinking maybe going normal consumer-grade parts, in a mid-tower case, or something similar.
Sounds like some sort of virtualization/hypervisor is in your future.
Depending on how many concurrent servers you'd want to run would dictate CPU/RAM quantity and similar. I run my Win2k12R2 DC and a couple Linux VMs on a Celeron G1620 with ESXi
I do want a physical server though.. not a virtual one, because of my line of work. For now I mostly work on physical servers in larger domains. Nice to have something similar to test on
I'd like to run 2 servers, I think. The DC on 2k12R2, and perhaps one on the 2k16 tech preview, or also on 2k12R2. That way I can let my DC be operative, and not reinstalled as often as the other server.
CPU and RAM is fairly ok to figure out, I guess.. but I'm a little unsure of what kind of motherboard I should go for. I'm also debating ether to go for two servers on the internals of a single case, or if I should go all the way and build two.
Ah I figured it would be a lot easier for your lab environment since you can just snapshot the state, once you make any changes you can just revert in a couple of seconds instead of a reinstall. What exactly do you do that would require a bare metal installation anyway?
Also you could argue you can't have virtual servers without a physical one
Well, I guess I strictly speaking don't have to have a bare metal installation x) But as an apprentice as a computer electrician, it's nice to have something "hands on" to work with. Also I've found that some virtual servers react very differently to physical changes, than bare metal installations do.
So I'd like a physical installation to start on, and then maybe expand to virtual servers when I get the setup I want
