Dusty.P

If you want to get into server virtualization then you need to go with either ESXi or HyperV. They are the only type 2 hypervisors that are any good that I am aware of. The main benefit of ESXi over HyperV is it supports Linux VMs a lot better and HyperV is hard to configure if you are not working locally on the server or are not in the same domain as the HyperV server. Like others have said ESXi is very easy to configure and get up and running fast. Once it is installed you don't even need a keyboard and mouse connected locally to the server, you just connect to the web interface over your network to create new VMs and turn them on and off. You can even access the GUI of each VM from inside the web interface. I currently have 3 servers running ESXi (all slightly older hardware than your r610) and between them they are running about 10 different VMs, 8 Linux and 2 Windows Server 2016. I'm probably going to add another Windows VM just so I can play around with Active Directory. (If you are in school you can get Windows Server 2016 for free for educational purposes) Oh and adding a graphics card as video output is way overkill.