VM host builds

[Tosa]

So, after starting up at vocational studies in network and IT security, I heard a lot of talking among the other students about building servers for hosting VMs. Well, I can't afford that at the moment, but I'd be interested in knowing what you'd put together on a budget.

Unless you'd like to specify a particular use case and tailor your chosen hardware towards that, I suggest a low-end build with lots of RAM.

 

I guess one use case could be to do penetration testing in a controlled environment; Using either an external system to try to break into a VM, or another VM. Or host game/file/web server(s).

 

Here's what I'd build: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bMQDLD

Edited August 25, 2017 by Tosa
Use case

[Guest]

What would you be hosting? How many VMs?

[Tosa]

10 minutes ago, Legendarypoet said:

What would you be hosting? How many VMs?

Not sure. 6 VMs maybe? Feel free to make up a number. I guess one use case could be to do penetration testing in a controlled environment; Using either an external system to try to break into a VM, or another VM. Or host game/file/web server(s).

 

I'll put this in the OP.

Edited August 25, 2017 by Tosa

[JaegerB]

[Dlog]

1 hour ago, Tosa said:

So, after starting up at vocational studies in network and IT security, I heard a lot of talking among the other students about building servers for hosting VMs. Well, I can't afford that at the moment, but I'd be interested in knowing what you'd put together on a budget.

Unless you'd like to specify a particular use case and tailor your chosen hardware towards that, I suggest a low-end build with lots of RAM.

 

I guess one use case could be to do penetration testing in a controlled environment; Using either an external system to try to break into a VM, or another VM. Or host game/file/web server(s).

 

Here's what I'd build: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bMQDLD

 

Two things I would recommend considering.

 

Making a home lab built on an old Xeon server from ebay ~$300 for a 4 or 8 core with whatever DDR3 you feel like picking up Old Lenovo servers go for $200-$300 all the time.

Making a cloud lab with Azure (MS offers something like a $200 virtual credit to test out and build VMs on Azure. Just sign up no cost to you).

 

I'm assuming you are a student so you need to take a look at Microsoft Imagine, you can get a free copy of server 2012r2 and 2016 data center to learn on. It's a full copy with no expiration, only restriction is that you are not supposed to use it for commercial use. Data center is the one that lets you do anything and activate infinite VMs under it. Additional MS offers a university of sorts with virtual labs for you to remote in and learn just about anything. These are the same labs used by Global Knowledge in their $3000+ week long courses. 

 

My personal recommendation would be to build a home VM host using Hyper-v for simplicity. ESX is great but Hyper-v is included at no charge with windows server and handles the sub vm licencing.

 

You mentioned penetration testing, is this your avenue of study or just a case point for a home lab? If it's the later I can give you hundreds of great home projects to try out with a home lab.