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Feedback/suggestions on running KS in a virtual server?
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General Questions and Discussions
Feedback/suggestions on running KS in a virtual server?
Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 14, 2008 12:08 AM
I just started using Kaseya a few months ago. Currently I have about 100 agents deployed, and only use VSA's Agents, Ticketing, Remote Control and KES features so far. I am not running any periodic audits (other than initial base audit when agents are deployed), so the load on my server is minimal at this time. But once I start adding more agents and especially once I start using Patch Mgmt - I expect my server will choke.
Now don't laugh, but I have an old Dell PowerEdge 2400 server (Dual PIII/900, 2GB ECC RAM, redundant power supplies, 300GB 10K SCSI in a RAID5...). This server runs Win 2003 Enterprise, Exchange Server 2003 and now Kaseya
Hey, I like to be green and utilize equipment instead of throwing in a landfill...
Anticipating that this is not the ideal setup
, I want to purchase a new server that will still handle all this (AD domain controller, Exchange Server and KS). Since Kaseya frowns upon running KS alongside Exchange, I think it might be easiest to virtualize my KS using VMware (or maybe MS Virtual Server).
Having found that even a simple workstation costs $250 a year in electricity if left on 24/7, that's another reason I like to run all my server stuff on one box...
Any comments, advice greatly appreciate by a newbie!
-Mike
Legacy Forum Name: Feedback/suggestions on running KS in a virtual server?,
Legacy Posted By Username: ReedMikel
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
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Jun 14, 2008 1:47 AM
ReedMikel... how many agents do you plan to support withing the next 2 years on this K server?
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: boudj
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 14, 2008 3:15 AM
I'd guess 250 - 500.
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: ReedMikel
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 14, 2008 4:48 AM
Then I'd recommend a server that is Quad Core (1 processor is fine, 2 is better), load up on the RAM, and go with SCSI drives in RAID 5 config. You should look at either an HP or a Dell server for this role. I'd also recommend dedicating it to this role as well. I recently bought a Dell PE2950 with:
-> 5 - 146 15K SCSI drives (RAID 5)
-> 16GB RAM
-> 2 - 2.0Ghz QC Processors
-> Redundant Power Supply
-> 3-yr NBD Support
I got it for $3300.00 (Tax included).
Basically I look at it as a good investment that when amoritized over 5 years will come out to $660/year.
Just my opinion anyway.
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: boudj
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 14, 2008 7:30 PM
Actually, that is the model I was just looking at on Dell's site
What do you think of running my KS in a virtual environment?
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: ReedMikel
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 15, 2008 12:23 AM
If your going to go Virtual, then IMHO the only real option for this application is ESX.
Forget host based virtual products (MS Virtual, VMWare server) for running Kaseya. It's too IO intensive. They work great for small loads and I use them to run a couple of internal servers here that are not mission critical.
And until they've been tested in the real world, I would not use Hyper-V and Citrix XENServer for mission critical work.
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: misolutions.com
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 15, 2008 1:33 AM
Also don't forget, Kaseya does NOT support or endorse Virtualization in any way shape or form. So if you choose to run Kaseya in a Virtualized fashion, say goodbye to support
As for why... It really boils down to MS $QL acting "stupid" in VMs. For now reason, you will start getting the crazy CPU spikes... or Non-working database accesses... or the DMA will decide to just crash your OS for non-existant "illegal accesses"
As long as you are willing to reboot your VM every other day tho, all "should" be well I suppose
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: Russ
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 15, 2008 6:19 AM
That's interesting about MS SQL. Are you saying that's with the Kaseya DB or SQL in general?
I have a number of SQL implementations runing on ESX and have never seen that behaviour.
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: misolutions.com
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 15, 2008 8:06 AM
We have a very intensive sql server running under esx as well just fine (32bit in this case).
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: Coldfirex
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 15, 2008 10:27 PM
We are using VMware ESX 3.5 and it is the best move we ever made.
Being pretty small and already having 2 servers, it was too much putting another one in for connectwise, more servers than staff!!
So I now have:
SBS server 2003 with exchange
64 bit 2003 server with Kaseya
32 bit 2003 server with Connectwise
3x XP Pro workstations
We saw a significant increase in performance with exchange and general file access and intranet response.
I had a server blue screen the other night due to a storm cutting power and the UPS running out. It corrupted the exchange database and several other nasty looking problems on the domain controller.
I just deleted the server and restored from the previous nights backup, all from the comfort of my lounge chair, took 2 hours, no faultfinding, no stress, brought it back across, turned it on and it all worked.
This was probably due to the hardware we purchased for the changeover.
Specs we used:
Intel 5400LX case (redundant fans, psu etc)
5000psl motherboard
12 port Adaptec SAS controler
4 x 15.4k Cheetah hard disks in RAID 10 for systems
4 x 1 Terrabyte Sata disks for data
16GB RAM
2x Xeon processors - giving 8 cores
After a month or so and reading about how Connectwise pushes that we install as much RAM as possible, we put in another 8GB of RAM giving a total of 16GB of RAM.
This made another noticable difference in overall performance of all servers, and RAM is so cheap now, wish the 4GB chips were more readily available, would of put in 32GB if I could.
Transfer from physical to virtual was very simple, I could not believe how easy it was.
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: mrbiggles
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 15, 2008 11:55 PM
The only virtualization software I have used so far is MS's Virtual PC 2007 which I have on my XP workstation. Can someone give me a quick rundown on VMware? And what is ESX, a certain version of a VMware product?
I really like the idea that recovery of a VM becomes relatively painless, and can even be loaded on different hardware should one have to replace (or upgrade) a server!
It's interesting that at the Vegas conference one Kaseya speaker from UK said running KS on a VM was fine. Then when I asked my Kaseya sales rep more about it when I got back, he said it wasn't officially supported. Maybe someday they'll endorse it after they become more experienced with it...
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: ReedMikel
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 16, 2008 10:09 PM
We are running our KS on VMware ESX.
VMware Workstation is an application that you run in Windows/linux that allow you to run other virtual machines, but you still need an OS to run Workstation on. VMware ESX however, is an OS that runs virtual servers, so there's no OS underneath it.
With regards to our KS setup, we are running an exchange server, sql server, kserver and connectwise on seperate VM's running server 2003.
We experienced some slow downs, which seem to be due to the load put on our sql server, but we increased the ram recently, and that seems to be helping a lot.
As for the comment that support is out the window if you are running KS on a VM, that has not been my experience. I have received a good level of support from Kaseya, and I have mentioned to the support people that I am running everything through ESX.
Scott
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: ssugar
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 16, 2008 11:34 PM
Thanks for the explanation of ESX - makes perfect sense. I guess that's why it's a good bit more expensive that VMware workstation...
Can you share your server's hardware specs with me and about how many Agents you service? Thanks!
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: ReedMikel
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 17, 2008 12:34 AM
Got it... now, anyone looking at doing this with Microsoft Hyper-V?
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: boudj
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Posted by
LegacyPoster
on
Jun 17, 2008 12:48 AM
boudj
Got it... now, anyone looking at doing this with Microsoft Hyper-V?
With a 1.0 product from Microsoft? That's a joke right?
The price is right ($29) but still...
Legacy Forum Name: General Discussion,
Legacy Posted By Username: misolutions.com
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