Three Intel Server Systems based Hyper-V and Scale-Out File Server Clusters

Here are three base Intel Server Systems configurations we are working on for our Intel Modular Server replacement in a Data Centre or client setting.

Unfortunately, the Intel JBOD does not self-power at this time. So, for SMB/SME solutions we will be supplying a DataON DNS-1640 2U JBOD as it will automatically power-up after a full power outage.

All solution sets are based on Windows Server 2012 R2 as a starting point for Hyper-V, Storage Spaces, and SOFS.

• Option 1: Asymmetric Hyper-V Cluster via Storage Spaces CSV
  • Intel Server System R2208GZ4GC, Dual E5-2640, 128GB ECC or 256GB ECC, 120GB SSD RAID 1, dual SAS HBAs, add-in Intel i350T4 PCIe
  • Intel JBOD2224S2DP
• Option 2: Hyper-V Cluster via SMBv3 Scale-Out File Server cluster and Storage Spaces
  • Intel Server System R1208JP4OC, E5-2640, 128GB ECC, 120GB SSD RAID 1, dual SAS HBAs, Intel X540T2 I/O Module, Intel X540T2 PCIe
  • Intel JBOD2224S2DP
  • Intel Server System R1208JP4OC, E5-2640, 128GB ECC, 120GB SSD RAID 1, Intel i350T4 PCIe, Intel X540T2 I/O Module, Intel X540T2 PCIe
  • NETGEAR XS712T 10GbE Switches
• Option 3: Hyper-V Cluster via SMBv3 Scale-Out File Server cluster and Storage Spaces with enclosure resilience
  • (3) Intel Server System R2208GZ4GC, Dual E5-2640, 128GB ECC, 120GB SSD RAID 1, SIX SAS HBAs, Intel X540T2 I/O Module, Intel X540T2 PCIe
  • (3) Intel JBOD2224S2DP
  • (2) Intel Server System R2208GZ4GC, Dual E5-2640, 128GB ECC, 120GB SSD RAID 1, Intel i350T4 PCIe, Intel X540T2 I/O Module, Intel X540T2 PCIe
  • (2) NETGEAR 24-Port 10GbE Switches
• Storage Networking Option
  • Option 2 and Option 3 can be facilitated by InfiniBand NICs and Switches
    • Enables RDMA and 56Gbps per connection
    • Microsoft's 1.4M IOPS demo based on InfiniBand backend
    • Intel Server Systems have an InfiniBand I/O Module with the second being a Mellanox PCIe

The first setup is relatively simple while the second two require some structuring around how the networking is configured to allow for SMB Multi-Channel on the storage network side.

At this point the above setups utilizing Intel Server Systems provide us with an amazing value for our IT budgets.

5 year warranties and next business day on-site support options can be had too.

We purchase our Intel Channel product primarily through ASI Canada. Ingram Micro, Synnex Canada, and Tech Data Canada are also Intel Authorized Distributors.

As an FYI we continue to build our own server systems because the experience proves to be invaluable when it comes to troubleshooting problems especially when software vendors are pointing fingers.

Building our own systems also gives us a very strong foundation for creating server configurations that will work with a client workload set.

And finally, it allows us to be very particular with Tier 1 vendors when it comes to creating a server configuration using their hardware.

EDIT: Note that we _always_ install a physical DC on our cluster networks. For option 1 it would probably be an HP MicroServer while the others would be a 1U single socket with some storage for ISOs.

Philip Elder
Microsoft Cluster MVP
MPECS Inc.
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

Chef de partie in the SMBKitchen ASP Project
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