Server and Gaming Rig? All-in-One or Separated?

[Moondrelor]

So I had a few questions about Server rigs yesterday, and after some help and some research I decided on a few builds.

I started off with just making a standalone server, for it to run 24/7.

 

Here is the gaming rig.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/moondrelor/saved/M4Zypg

 

Here is the server rig.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/moondrelor/saved/R9R323

 

Me and a few friends have LAN Parties, which is why I figured a standalone server would be good, we typically have anywhere between 20-50 people playing at these LAN Parties and we plan on growing, so I want to have lots of growing room. The server is simply meant to host the various games we play. I want it to handle anything that we throw at it, and I also want it to handle hosting games that aren't LAN. So maybe I can just keep it at home running all the proper servers for anyone who wants to join ect.

 

But then I had an idea, what if I made it all into one system? And this is what I came up with.

 

Server+Gaming Rig

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/moondrelor/saved/28zcCJ

 

Would this rig allow me to host servers, and play games all together? All in one system? Would it be more practical or more of a hassle? Should I just go with them being separated? Or go with the all in one? Please let me know what you think. I'm not very savvy when it comes to servers..

[ShadowCaptain]

SNIP

 

IMO go seperate

 

If you want it all in one tower - you could get a case that houses 2 PCs, then you dont have to mess around with virtualisation

[PlayStation 2]

You can do an AiO machine, not my money

[Moondrelor]

IMO go seperate

 

How do the components look to you? As far as the server goes?

[Moondrelor]

You can do an AiO machine, not my money

 

Yes, however it's my money. Which is why I'm looking for incite. 

[Bananasplit_00]

definatly separate. you dont want your gameing rig running a server whist playing a game, you will get lower fps and the server part will eat up a bit of bandwith

[Troyanac]

So I had a few questions about Server rigs yesterday, and after some help and some research I decided on a few builds.

I started off with just making a standalone server, for it to run 24/7.

 

Here is the gaming rig.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/moondrelor/saved/M4Zypg

 

Here is the server rig.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/moondrelor/saved/R9R323

 

Me and a few friends have LAN Parties, which is why I figured a standalone server would be good, we typically have anywhere between 20-50 people playing at these LAN Parties and we plan on growing, so I want to have lots of growing room. The server is simply meant to host the various games we play. I want it to handle anything that we throw at it, and I also want it to handle hosting games that aren't LAN. So maybe I can just keep it at home running all the proper servers for anyone who wants to join ect.

 

But then I had an idea, what if I made it all into one system? And this is what I came up with.

 

Server+Gaming Rig

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/moondrelor/saved/28zcCJ

 

Would this rig allow me to host servers, and play games all together? All in one system? Would it be more practical or more of a hassle? Should I just go with them being separated? Or go with the all in one? Please let me know what you think. I'm not very savvy when it comes to servers..

Seems a bit overkill for a LAN server?

Tho, if you want to run the server on your rig on which you play, assure you can SWAP memory to the SSD, so make a SWAP partition beforehand when installing your Linux OS on your server.

Then virtualize Windows so it can run the games. 

Do NOT run Windows as the game server.

[PlayStation 2]

Yes, however it's my money. Which is why I'm looking for incite. 

You've got money to blow, might as well go all in one

[ShadowCaptain]

How do the components look to you? As far as the server goes?

 

Looks good (I edited my comment above if you ddnt see)

 

I was going to say if you wanted both systems in one case you could get a case to hold both, instead of running virtualisation

 

Although technically it will be roughly the same, I just think its easier

 

I like having my server as a separate entity and using it as a backup server

 

Or you could just rent a fast server to host games on remotely, instead of fucking around with it yourself thats what my friend does, and we use his server for everything

[Moondrelor]

Seems a bit overkill for a LAN server?

Tho, if you want to run the server on your rig on which you play, assure you can SWAP memory to the SSD, so make a SWAP partition beforehand when installing your Linux OS on your server.

Then virtualize Windows so it can run the games. 

Do NOT run Windows as the game server.

 

This is kind of what I was thinking,

Kind of give the server part maybe one cpu and a tiny bit of the GPU

and give the gaming part one cpu some ram, and most of the GPU

[Bananasplit_00]

How do the components look to you? As far as the server goes?

go for a 750TI for grafics or something like that i think, there can be some GPU load on a server as well. ram is slightly overkill but its not my server and i have no clue what it will be doing. get a good speed ethernet expantion card if you can get better speeds for that, not sure. 550W is also a bit overkill IMO

[Moondrelor]

Looks good (I edited my comment above if you ddnt see)

 

I was going to say if you wanted both systems in one case you could get a case to hold both, instead of running virtualisation

 

Although technically it will be roughly the same, I just think its easier

 

I like having my server as a separate entity and using it as a backup server

 

Or you could just rent a fast server to host games on remotely, instead of fucking around with it yourself thats what my friend does, and we use his server for everything

 

Ah yeah, that stacker pc.

[Bananasplit_00]

This is kind of what I was thinking,

Kind of give the server part maybe one cpu and a tiny bit of the GPU

and give the gaming part one cpu some ram, and most of the GPU

servers can eat a lot of cpu

[ShadowCaptain]

Ah yeah, that stacker pc.

http://hexus.net/tech/news/chassis/76497-lian-li-launches-dual-system-pc-d666-double-wide-chassis/

 

Like that or sometihng

 

but I like having the server completely separate, even in a different location, instead of dumping 2 PCs worth of heat into the room, and 2 PCs worth of noise, could just build a server and stick it hidden away somewhere, so its nice and safe away from people

 

 

At the end of the day it doesnt make much difference, just depends how you prefer to have it I guess

 

Build specs look good though

[Moondrelor]

go for a 750TI for grafics or something like that i think, there can be some GPU load on a server as well. ram is slightly overkill but its not my server and i have no clue what it will be doing. get a good speed ethernet expantion card if you can get better speeds for that, not sure. 550W is also a bit overkill IMO

 

I didn't think a server would have any gpu load on it, but then again. I don't know much about servers.

[Bananasplit_00]

also holly balls that gaming rig holy shit are you planning on 4k?

[Troyanac]

This is kind of what I was thinking,

Kind of give the server part maybe one cpu and a tiny bit of the GPU

and give the gaming part one cpu some ram, and most of the GPU

Game servers do not need any GPU horsepower. 

Give the server 4 virtual cores, it will be enough, and allocate 4 cores to the Windows VM.

Split RAM in half for Server and for Windows. SWAP to the SSD. Done.

Assuming you have a 4-core CPU with 8 virtual cores.

[Bananasplit_00]

I didn't think a server would have any gpu load on it, but then again. I don't know much about servers.

nither do i i just think that a more modern GPU will have better suport for modern aplications

[Moondrelor]

servers can eat a lot of cpu

 

Yeahhh.

Maybe give the gaming rig 4 cores and 12 to the server.

8gb ram to the gaming and rest to the server.

 

Though all that visualization i have no idea how to do, but defiantly would be interesting. 

[Moondrelor]

also holly balls that gaming rig holy shit are you planning on 4k?

 

Yes sir :3

[Moondrelor]

nither do i i just think that a more modern GPU will have better suport for modern aplications

 

True, true. That's a good point. 750ti isn't that expensive at any rate. Good price. 

[Bananasplit_00]

Yeahhh.

Maybe give the gaming rig 4 cores and 14 to the server.

8gb ram to the gaming and rest to the server.

 

Though all that visualization i have no idea how to do, but defiantly would be interesting. 

yah maby 50/50 would be good, not sure. im still for the separate tho

[Moondrelor]

Game servers do not need any GPU horsepower. 

Give the server 4 virtual cores, it will be enough, and allocate 4 cores to the Windows VM.

Split RAM in half for Server and for Windows. SWAP to the SSD. Done.

Assuming you have a 4-core CPU with 8 virtual cores.

The AiO pc will have 16 cores.

[Moondrelor]

yah maby 50/50 would be good, not sure. im still for the separate tho

 

Yeah, that's what I'm beginning to lean heavy on.

[manikyath]

thats a juicy budget you have there, dont blow that on trying to build one machine capable of everything.

EDIT: you can probably save 80% of your GPU cost if the gpu is only there to show a display output, if the server's gpu isnt gonna take much load, dont even bother with a decent card.