Low Power Backup and Domain Controller Server

By +LogicalApex
in Hardware Hangout

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+LogicalApex MVC

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I'm starting the planning stages of a new project and I thought I would reach out to the Neowin community to solicit some ideas...

 

I'm doing some infrastructure work on my home network. I have a decent server that I built using an old PC that had some very good specs, but with the number of VMs I run the 24GB RAM limit finally hit the wall for me. It was also a problem not being able to get full headless support so I could perform POST level activities without having to get it connected via a hardwired keyboard and monitor. I decided to restructure the entire infrastructure. I put in a new 2U server that is geared toward virtualization and will hold enough total RAM (320GB MAX).

 

I'm also switching from Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V to VMWare EXSi mainly because I can boot it via the USB header on my server motherboard freeing up all my drive bays for a proper RAID 5...

 

I need to build a new server to solve two needs:

 

1. Act as a primary Domain Controller for my Active Directory domain.

1. To act as a backup server (meaning my VM storage will be backed up from the primary server to here where I can pull out drives to be placed offsite).

 

I'm wondering what suggestions anyone has on building a server for that which uses as little wattage as possible and runs pretty smoothly.

 

I know the HP Micro Server line such as the N40L is pretty popular here and is an option I'm considering, but the lack of hot swap drive bays are the downside there. I'm also not sure what the power draw on that machine is.

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