Going to get 32 GB of ram how many VMs

[max22]

Here is my system specs:

i5 2500k
120 GB Crucial M4 SSD (Used just for OS and Apps only 18.4 GB used)
ATI 5750

How many Windows 7 64 bit VMs will I be able to run smoothly ? I plan on running at least one PVR server. If possible.

[trek]

Disk IO will be the bottleneck if you will be always recording to the PVR server. Depends what the other vm's will be doing.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

You'll easily be able to run as many VMs as you can fit on the SSD, which won't be many.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

Too little information to answer accurately. What type of virtual machines are you planning on? What will they be doing? Are you running a regular OS on top of the hardware or a bare metal hypervisor?

You'll easily be able to run as many VMs as you can fit on the SSD, which won't be many.

if he does thin provisioning he can definitely fit more than his ram load can handle.

[max22]

Too little information to answer accurately. What type of virtual machines are you planning on? What will they be doing? Are you running a regular OS on top of the hardware or a bare metal hypervisor?

if he does thin provisioning he can definitely fit more than his ram load can handle.

 

What do you mean what type ?

[+LogicalApex MVC]

What do you mean what type ?

Are they VMWare or Hyper-V? If VMs are, are they running on workstation or ESXi? Are they going to be on all the time?

[max22]

Are they VMWare or Hyper-V? If VMs are, are they running on workstation or ESXi? Are they going to be on all the time?

 

VMWare I guess, Workstation and no not really.

[MorganX]

Really not enough info but I'd say, run smoothly? Assuming you want them running at the same time smoothly I'd say 5-6 with 2-4GB each. Also assuming you'll be using the host computer for general computing while they are running? If not, I would look at acquiring a Hyper-V server license and going with that. You may also want to give Windows 8 Hyper-V a try.

 

I really can't say how well the i5 will do under the load of 5-6 VMs. If you get more serious about Virtualization especially with lots of I/O you may want to look at non-K processors which support VT-d.

[max22]

Really not enough info but I'd say, run smoothly? Assuming you want them running at the same time smoothly I'd say 5-6 with 2-4GB each. Also assuming you'll be using the host computer for general computing while they are running? If not, I would look at acquiring a Hyper-V server license and going with that. You may also want to give Windows 8 Hyper-V a try.

 

I really can't say how well the i5 will do under the load of 5-6 VMs. If you get more serious about Virtualization especially with lots of I/O you may want to look at non-K processors which support VT-d.

 

Ok would a i5 handle at least 2 or 3 ok then ? I don't plan on running more than that at one time really. Maybe 4 to the most.

[MorganX]

Ok would a i5 handle at least 2 or 3 ok then ? I don't plan on running more than that at one time really. Maybe 4 to the most.

 

It'll probably handle 5-6 in general, smoothly. Depends on what they're doing and if they're doing it simultaneously. You have enough RAM you should be fine. I would monitor performance while recording, if they all perform acceptably then, you're good.

[+Fahim S. MVC]

Too little information to answer accurately. What type of virtual machines are you planning on? What will they be doing? Are you running a regular OS on top of the hardware or a bare metal hypervisor?

if he does thin provisioning he can definitely fit more than his ram load can handle.

 

How do you figure?

Each installation will take about 20GB - this will mean 7 or so installations.

Each installation needs about 2GB of RAM (3GB if you are being generous) - therefore 7 installations could easily be run in 24GB.

 

Like I said - the size of the SSD is more likely to be a limitation.

[MorganX]

How do you figure?

Each installation will take about 20GB - this will mean 7 or so installations.

Each installation needs about 2GB of RAM (3GB if you are being generous) - therefore 7 installations could easily be run in 24GB.

 

Like I said - the size of the SSD is more likely to be a limitation.

 

You're both right. Using bare minimums, you are right. Using real world, Apex is right. The installations can be run in 24GB, but can the applications? Is it a hobby or business? That PVR I/O is going to put that i5 to work.

 

Though I would add the following for the OP to consider:

 

• If you can use 2GB machines and meet your requirements, I would consider 32-bit OS for the VMs.
• Assumption is you are NOT recording to the SSD that the VMs will live on.
• Assuming you have a large secondary physical HD for video storage, I would consider that for y our VM hard disks as well and just put the VMs on the SSD.

[The_Observer]

My Thoughts

 

• Going to need Raid
• Use SSD Drives to host VM's and would recommend RAID again.
• What about Hyper-V Server (Free)
• Ask for help on reddit.com/r/homelab
• Post update please would like to see setup and what happened.