Need to virtualize a file server

[jaslion]

The fileserver at work has died and I've been tasked to find a solution.

To prevent having the reconfigure everything when this happens again I would like to run a windows vm that has everything setup in it so I can just back that up and load it up again to get it going.

 

The problem is I don't know if I can use local storage through a vm (secondary drive d for example). Share it through the vm and still be able to use it on the host os (ubuntu).

Another idea I had is to use a celeron or something similar, use freenas and then let a second more powerfull computer running a windows vm handle the tasks it needs to do with the data.

 

Also if this is a bad idea feel free to tell me since I'm not well experienced with this and just have been learning as I go since I got appointed the IT guy here.

 

[Crunchy Dragon]

Honestly, I would just build/purchase or otherwise legally obtain a server with a RAID array.

Preferably RAID 5, since this allows several drives and has redundancy at the same time.

 

In my honest opinion, it would be more work, time, and effort to virtualize a whole file server.

[jaslion]

Should've been more specific. My bad.

 

It's only 2x6tb drives and 2x128gb boot drives.

[Crunchy Dragon]

2 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Should've been more specific. My bad.

 

It's only 2x6tb drives and 2x128gb boot drives.

Does each boot drive match a storage drive?

[jaslion]

The bootdrives and storage drives are identical backups.

The 128gb ssds are in raid 1 on a dell perc5i card. The 6tb drives were mirrored by sync software.

I know it's poorly setup but I just got tossed into this :p.

[Crunchy Dragon]

2 minutes ago, jaslion said:

The bootdrives and storage drives are identical backups.

The 128gb ssds are in raid 1 on a dell perc5i card. The 6tb drives were mirrored by sync software.

I know it's poorly setup but I just got tossed into this :p.

If you can get by on just 6TB of storage, set those up in a RAID 1 array. That way you get redundancy in case one drive fails.

If you need more than 6TB, then I would step up to 12TB drives, also in RAID 1.

 

The SSDs should be fine in RAID 1 as well.

 

Exactly what happened that caused the server to fail?

[jaslion]

It's in a really hot utility room and since the fan used to cool the room uses too much electricity they shut it off. I told them the pc is not going to be able too cool itself but they didn't care. Fast forward 4 weeks and the motherboard is dead. It's currently 48c in there and today is a cool day.

 

 

[NelizMastr]

28 minutes ago, jaslion said:

It's in a really hot utility room and since the fan used to cool the room uses too much electricity they shut it off. I told them the pc is not going to be able too cool itself but they didn't care. Fast forward 4 weeks and the motherboard is dead. It's currently 48c in there and today is a cool day.

 

 

Well, then tell them to stuff the harddisks up their rectum, because not a single hardware component is rated for ambient temperatures over 40c since the temperatures will go insane. It's a miracle that Perc card is still serviceable (assuming it is). Lol.

 

In all seriousness, you might just want to attempt to recover the data from the drives and move to a NAS solution. You can put it somewhere else where it gets some bloody fresh air and it's just as capable as a file server on the small scale you were using it.

[jaslion]

The fileserver was running a couple other applications so I would like to keep a normal pc. I got a budget for a new server and it's 200€. Thats going to be fun getting anything useable.

[Sir Asvald]

31 minutes ago, jaslion said:

It's in a really hot utility room and since the fan used to cool the room uses too much electricity they shut it off. I told them the pc is not going to be able too cool itself but they didn't care. Fast forward 4 weeks and the motherboard is dead. It's currently 48c in there and today is a cool day.

 

 

That's what you get with people who don't understand IT or computers...  

 

46 minutes ago, jaslion said:

The fileserver at work has died and I've been tasked to find a solution.

To prevent having the reconfigure everything when this happens again I would like to run a windows vm that has everything setup in it so I can just back that up and load it up again to get it going.

 

The problem is I don't know if I can use local storage through a vm (secondary drive d for example). Share it through the vm and still be able to use it on the host os (ubuntu).

Another idea I had is to use a celeron or something similar, use freenas and then let a second more powerfull computer running a windows vm handle the tasks it needs to do with the data.

 

Also if this is a bad idea feel free to tell me since I'm not well experienced with this and just have been learning as I go since I got appointed the IT guy here.

 

Okay, was the File server running on a Windows OS or Linux? What about the data, is it still there, nothing lost?

 

 

[Pixel5]

for this budget you cant get a new server going, even with used parts this is impossible.

either this business is willing to invest money into its infrastructure or they not gonna have a file server any longer.

the only thing i could think of for this budget is getting a very very old server which will consume insane amounts of power and will be loud as fuck but thats the only way to keep the cost down.

 

[jaslion]

Windows server 2012 and all data is fine. Backed it up to the cloud. Been testing the drives as we speak and one is dead the other is fine atm.

[Sir Asvald]

2 minutes ago, jaslion said:

wWindows server 2012 and all data is fine. Backed it up to the cloud. Been testing the drives as we speak and one is dead the other is fine atm.

Okay, Also, please quote us so we know you've replied. Was this an actual server or a PC that was put together?

 

10 minutes ago, jaslion said:

The fileserver was running a couple other applications so I would like to keep a normal pc. I got a budget for a new server and it's 200€. Thats going to be fun getting anything useable.

200? Sorry, that will get nothing. If they are so keen on getting their file server back up and running. They need to pay MUCH more

[jaslion]

1 minute ago, Abdul201588 said:

Okay, Also, please quote us so we know you've replied. Was this an actual server or a PC that was put together?

 

200? Sorry, that will get nothing. If they are so keen on getting their file server back up and running. They need to pay MUCH more

Last one had a:

q6600

gx 450w psu

some random motherboard

5gb of ram

 

I had to build it from spare parts from other dead systems.

They want me to use someone's office pc so they don't have to buy a new one. But thats not happening. Some random pc a user constantly works with is just asking for things to go MASSIVELY wrong.

[leadeater]

1 hour ago, jaslion said:

To prevent having the reconfigure everything when this happens again I would like to run a windows vm that has everything setup in it so I can just back that up and load it up again to get it going.

 

1 hour ago, jaslion said:

Windows server 2012 and all data is fine. Backed it up to the cloud. Been testing the drives as we speak and one is dead the other is fine atm.

 

Just set the system up again with Windows as the base OS then buy an external USB HDD and configure Windows Server Backup to use that disk to backup the server every night. Then when the computer dies all you need to do is boot a Windows Installer and pick repair OS and point to that external HDD.

 

Continue to do the backup to cloud as that is actually a proper safe backup, the external HDD is only for fast restore time in the event of a failure. Edit: You can be selective in what you actually backup i.e. System State and important files you need back the quickest so you don't have to use a very large external HDD.

 

Unless you need the ability to run multiple VMs don't bother adding the extra layer.

[jaslion]

2 minutes ago, leadeater said:

 

 

Just set the system up again with Windows as the base OS then buy an external USB HDD and configure Windows Server Backup to use that disk to backup the server every night. Then when the computer dies all you need to do is boot a Windows Installer and pick repair OS and point to that external HDD.

 

Continue to do the backup to cloud as that is actually a proper safe backup, the external HDD is only for fast restore time in the event of a failure.

 

Unless you need the ability to run multiple VMs don't bother adding the extra layer.

Fair enough. Just need to find a suitable computer for it then.

[Sir Asvald]

1 hour ago, jaslion said:

Last one had a:

q6600

gx 450w psu

some random motherboard

5gb of ram

 

I had to build it from spare parts from other dead systems.

They want me to use someone's office pc so they don't have to buy a new one. But thats not happening. Some random pc a user constantly works with is just asking for things to go MASSIVELY wrong.

May I ask what type of company it is? Sounds like a nonprofit. 

[beersykins]

21 hours ago, Pixel5 said:

very old server which will consume insane amounts of power and will be loud as fuck but thats the only way to keep the cost down.

That would be the perfect comeback though, they really have to appreciate the irony to make it perfect however.

[jaslion]

On 11/07/2018 at 11:17 AM, Abdul201588 said:

May I ask what type of company it is? Sounds like a nonprofit. 

It's a hardware store and certified machine repair store for multiple brands. Just don't want to spend any money on anything.