[SFS] OpenStack Lab
Maxwell Spangler
sfs@thegeek.nu
Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:05:07 -0600
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This is on my to-do list.
Older AMD Phenom I, Phenom II or Opteron processors are the cheapest CPU
and they do virtualization wonderfully.
Choosing a Phenom II processor gives you easy access to DDR3 which means
low-cost RAM. Phenom I CPUs, while available at lower prices, often use
DDR2 which is quite expensive especially when you want to use 4G DIMMs
or greater.
So my suggestion would be 2009-2011 era 4 or 6 core Phenom II based
desktops with 4x4G DDR3 or more. My home lab is 3x Phenom I systems
with 6-8G of RAM each and my main desktop which is Phenom II with 12G of
RAM.
Disk is irrelevant since you don't use much for OpenStack exploration.
It's really CPU, RAM and networking that matter.
Finally, if you use OpenStack using Xen instead of KVM, you shouldn't
even need hardware. You should be able to build one big box and put
different OpenStack nodes within virtual machines and create Xen VMs
within the OpenStack VM's environment. I just installed Citrix
Xenserver *inside* a KVM VM this morning and expect to spin up Xen VMs
within it later this week for testing.
Finally, there are now pre-packaged tools like packstack which made the
process of installing and configuring OpenStack easier than before. Red
Hat produces one of these and a recent Webinar I watched made it look
fairly easy.
Cheers,
On Tue, 2013-10-15 at 12:15 -0600, David L. Willson wrote:
> Rather than just discarding this fine post... Let's change topics to
> another of the many things we want to do.
>
> What is the least expensive way to get nodes with 16+GB RAM, 4+ cores,
> and 64-bit processor with vm extensions?
>
> Wouldn't it be great fun to get 4+ such nodes and spend an afternoon
> building and arranging them into an OpenStack cluster?
>
> --
> David L. Willson
> Teacher, Engineer, Evangelist
> RHCE+Satellite CCAH Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 UbuntuCP NovellCLA
> Mobile 720-333-LANS(5267)
>
> This is a good time for a r3VOLution.
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
> I would personally not every build a grossely underpowered
> NAS. The PI just cant push the bit over the network let alone
> run anything outside a RAID 0/1 config. You need tons of ram
> and at least an AMD Fusion Style or Intel Celeron Processor. I
> run some NAS/SAN hybrid openfiler 2.99.02 systems on some HP
> MicroServers (N40L) with some intel e1000e cards tossed in
> there. I still have a hard time saturating a Gig line (Raid 6
> with 8 gigs of ram in the boxes. Using 6x WD Red 3TB drives).
> I have seen people run NAS even single drive SSD on a PI and
> they can't even crack 15/20 MB/sec (not even able to saturate
> USB 2.0).
>
>
>
> Personally if you want something cool to play with and are
> hankering for a fun project Get an IBM or HP basic
> workstation/server. Newegg has the i3 series ones on sale for
> under 300 all the time. Then try to build a cloud with VDI on
> it. Include a website, webdav file space, email server, and
> desktop delivery system. Use those pi's as endpoints and do it
> with only open software... NOW that would be fun (ok and
> geeky). Just my 2 cents ;)
>
>
> <snipped>
>
>
--
Maxwell Spangler
========================================================================
Linux System Administration / Virtualization / Development / Computing
Services
Photography / Graphics Design / Writing
Fort Collins, Colorado
http://www.maxwellspangler.com
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This is on my to-do list.<BR>
<BR>
Older AMD Phenom I, Phenom II or Opteron processors are the cheapest CPU and they do virtualization wonderfully.<BR>
<BR>
Choosing a Phenom II processor gives you easy access to DDR3 which means low-cost RAM. Phenom I CPUs, while available at lower prices, often use DDR2 which is quite expensive especially when you want to use 4G DIMMs or greater.<BR>
<BR>
So my suggestion would be 2009-2011 era 4 or 6 core Phenom II based desktops with 4x4G DDR3 or more. My home lab is 3x Phenom I systems with 6-8G of RAM each and my main desktop which is Phenom II with 12G of RAM.<BR>
<BR>
Disk is irrelevant since you don't use much for OpenStack exploration. It's really CPU, RAM and networking that matter.<BR>
<BR>
Finally, if you use OpenStack using Xen instead of KVM, you shouldn't even need hardware. You should be able to build one big box and put different OpenStack nodes within virtual machines and create Xen VMs within the OpenStack VM's environment. I just installed Citrix Xenserver *inside* a KVM VM this morning and expect to spin up Xen VMs within it later this week for testing.<BR>
<BR>
Finally, there are now pre-packaged tools like packstack which made the process of installing and configuring OpenStack easier than before. Red Hat produces one of these and a recent Webinar I watched made it look fairly easy.<BR>
<BR>
Cheers,<BR>
<BR>
On Tue, 2013-10-15 at 12:15 -0600, David L. Willson wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Rather than just discarding this fine post... Let's change topics to another of the many things we want to do.</FONT><BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">What is the least expensive way to get nodes with 16+GB RAM, 4+ cores, and 64-bit processor with vm extensions?</FONT><BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Wouldn't it be great fun to get 4+ such nodes and spend an afternoon building and arranging them into an OpenStack cluster?</FONT><BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">--</FONT><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">David L. Willson</FONT><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Teacher, Engineer, Evangelist</FONT><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">RHCE+Satellite CCAH Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 UbuntuCP NovellCLA</FONT><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Mobile 720-333-LANS(5267)</FONT><BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">This is a good time for a r3VOLution.</FONT><BR>
<BR>
<HR ALIGN="center">
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">I would personally not every build a grossely underpowered NAS. The PI just cant push the bit over the network let alone run anything outside a RAID 0/1 config. You need tons of ram and at least an AMD Fusion Style or Intel Celeron Processor. I run some NAS/SAN hybrid openfiler 2.99.02 systems on some HP MicroServers (N40L) with some intel e1000e cards tossed in there. I still have a hard time saturating a Gig line (Raid 6 with 8 gigs of ram in the boxes. Using 6x WD Red 3TB drives). I have seen people run NAS even single drive SSD on a PI and they can't even crack 15/20 MB/sec (not even able to saturate USB 2.0).</FONT>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Personally if you want something cool to play with and are hankering for a fun project Get an IBM or HP basic workstation/server. Newegg has the i3 series ones on sale for under 300 all the time. Then try to build a cloud with VDI on it. Include a website, webdav file space, email server, and desktop delivery system. Use those pi's as endpoints and do it with only open software... NOW that would be fun (ok and geeky). Just my 2 cents ;)</FONT><BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<FONT COLOR="#000000"><snipped></FONT>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
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-- <BR>
Maxwell Spangler<BR>
========================================================================<BR>
Linux System Administration / Virtualization / Development / Computing Services<BR>
Photography / Graphics Design / Writing<BR>
Fort Collins, Colorado<BR>
http://www.maxwellspangler.com
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