Windows 10: First Post - Gaming Server and VM's

Hi to you all,

First time posting here. Been aware of this forum for a while, but decided I needed to join as I have question that I need an answer for! Other forums have helped, but need for input - as Johnny 5 would say (80's kids will get what I mean!)

Right, just been spending the last few weeks deciding what parts to get to make a gaming server for my kids (Keep getting distracted!) Decided on building a AMD based system with parts I already have from an existing server that is Intel based... The server will house a Windows Server 2016 AD system (kids hate it!) and run a Minecraft local server, and Steam LanCache. It will also host all my media and files. It will host a couple of VM's too. I have a separate backup (12TB drive) connected elsewhere in the house.

My mine issue is that I need a motherboard with IPMI KVM socket for remote management including BIOS access. These seem to be on Motherboards from ASUS, Gigabyte, Supermicro and ASRock. My Budget is 600 for a CPU and Motherboard. Looking for some good suggestions!

The parts I have so far are:

AMD Ryzen 3700X 8C/16T CPU @3.6GHz) (not ordered yet as seeing what others may suggest)
16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4 (Existing)
256GB Intel NVMe Drive (Boot OS) (Existing)
500GB Samsung 950 Evo SSD (Existing)
4 x 4TB WD Red Pro HDD's (Existing)
MSI GTX 1050Ti Gaming X Graphics Card (Existing)
10GB XC-1OOG PCIe Network Adapter (Existing)

My existing server is a HP Microserver Gen8 with a 2C/4T Xeon E3-1220L V2 @ 2.3GHz with 16GB ECC DDR3 RAM.

I have also looked at UnRAID as a OS and run Windows Server 2016 as a VM, but not sure as it seems a lot of work! Would need help on getting hardware like GPU working properly though a VM.

:)

 

First Post - Gaming Server and VM's

Hi to you all,

First time posting here. Been aware of this forum for a while, but decided I needed to join as I have question that I need an answer for! Other forums have helped, but need for input - as Johnny 5 would say (80's kids will get what I mean!)

Right, just been spending the last few weeks deciding what parts to get to make a gaming server for my kids (Keep getting distracted!) Decided on building a AMD based system with parts I already have from an existing server that is Intel based... The server will house a Windows Server 2016 AD system (kids hate it!) and run a Minecraft local server, and Steam LanCache. It will also host all my media and files. It will host a couple of VM's too. I have a separate backup (12TB drive) connected elsewhere in the house.

My mine issue is that I need a motherboard with IPMI KVM socket for remote management including BIOS access. These seem to be on Motherboards from ASUS, Gigabyte, Supermicro and ASRock. My Budget is £600 for a CPU and Motherboard. Looking for some good suggestions!

The parts I have so far are:

AMD Ryzen 3700X 8C/16T CPU @3.6GHz) (not ordered yet as seeing what others may suggest)
16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4 (Existing)
256GB Intel NVMe Drive (Boot OS) (Existing)
500GB Samsung 950 Evo SSD (Existing)
4 x 4TB WD Red Pro HDD's (Existing)
MSI GTX 1050Ti Gaming X Graphics Card (Existing)
10GB XC-1OOG PCIe Network Adapter (Existing)

My existing server is a HP Microserver Gen8 with a 2C/4T Xeon E3-1220L V2 @ 2.3GHz with 16GB ECC DDR3 RAM.

I have also looked at UnRAID as a OS and run Windows Server 2016 as a VM, but not sure as it seems a lot of work! Would need help on getting hardware like GPU working properly though a VM.

 

First Post - Gaming Server and VM's

Hi there
@JasonH76

While that Microserver is a good one (and you can add a GPU -- you need a half height one though) it won't be possible to "pass thru" graphics to a VM since the Mobo doesn't support IOMMU -- this is needed for "VFIO" to get the VM to access the hardware directly.

However don't toss it away - here's a way to make it run better so you can keep it as a NAS server etc before dealing with the other of your Gaming server.

1) replace the DVD with an SSD -- easy enough to do with MOLEX connector and SATA adapter.

2) get rid of the "built in hardware RAID" and switch to AHCI.

3) This means you won't have Native boot on Port 0 (the port where your SSD should be sitting).

4) However this machine allows boot from an internal SD card so use one -- I use a Micro SD card from an old Mobile phone in a standard SD adapter works fine.

5) Now install any sensible Linux distro - I'm using Arch Linux on that machine -- but install with partitions as follows:
on the sd card have /boot formatted to fat32 and ensure flags are set to boot and its not an EFI partition. then on the SSD have / (the root system) , /home and swap.

6) Now you can boot from the internal SD card -- it loads the bootloader and GRUB from the SD card and then the rest of the OS on the SSD. Now you've got a nice fast OS -- OK boot takes a small while longer (GRUB and the boot loader from the SD card - but then that's it -the rest is done from the SSD !!!!

7) If you have 2 or more HDD's in the HDD bays define as RAID 0 with MDADM (backup any data first of course). This will speed up the I/O hugely and HDD's are reasonably reliable so you are unlikely to lose data --simply take backups regularly which you should be doing anyway.

On that type of rig I can run a whole slew of VM's either with VMWare workststion or KVM -- but you could use VBOX or VMWare player - both free.


I've run RAID 0 24/7 for months on that rig - only time I need re-boot if upgrading the hardware or upgrading to larger HDD's. Never a failure yet - but DO take backup --GRSYNC or RSYNC are excellent data backup tools on a Linux server.

Use this server also to host all your multi-media files and to backup from your other system (and any Windows computers in your household).


Now for your Games rig with passthru

You need a MOBO capable of supporting IOMMU, the CPU to enable HYPERTHREADING, and at least two GPU cards and preferably 2 LAN connectors (although if using Wifi ensure that) .

I refer you to my post in this section also

Getting almost Native performance on W10 VM running on KVM

Note - If the users are on Wifi then to create "Network Bridge" you'll have to do it like I've described in this post and not as described in the above blog. Also you can start the VM(s) on Boot of the HOST automatically.

creating the "Wifi" bridge.

Enable Windows VM's HOST access with KVM HOSTS

Attachment 313497


boot VM automatically on Host boot.



Attachment 313495


Have fun and lets know how you get on with that project (also if you alter your Gen 8 microserver).

BTW for media streaming etc I have the files on a NAS server and use an Amazon firestick with KODI installed on it to watch media on a remote TV.

I think --depends on your set up though - doing it this way is better than having a multimedia server on your NAS -- this way you only need the KODI client on any devices you want to watch content on. Ensure though if using LINUX NAS that openssh is installed as well as SAMBA.

I prefer the Linux method of sharing files - you don't need the "sharers" to have an account on the server, just permission to access the drives, and the Linux server can run totally in "headless mode" with nobody logged on-- if you get experienced in Linux you don't even need a GUI - even for running the VM's but to start with I'd have a GUI.


Cheers
jimbo

 

TPU Minecraft Server

Done. Thanks for the suggestion!*Toast :toast: