XenServer 5

[mattx]

XenServer 5 - anyone using this ? Comments ?

Citrix XenServer 5

[Netman]

Have been using it and still am for a couple of things - have to say VMWare ESX is better overall though... (e.g speaks to SAN better, performance is better)

[mattx]

Still debating what to use with all the other options out there.
On the Xen website it does not state if you can move a current server [ IE say my WSUS server ] and turn that into a VM. I know you can with ESX [ i think ] and MS....
What I want to do is take my exsisting setup - [ 5 servers on one domain ] and then make them virtual on one meaty server with another server opertating in some form of heartbeat mode monitoring it etc.......

[Netman]

All I can say is the VMWare converter is really good. It's done 6 p2v now for me with no problems at all.

[Netman]

Xen 5.0 now supports live p2v on Windows apparently but I haven't tried it (XenConvert)...
XenServer Documentation

[mattx]

I think this is all going to come down to cost.......!!
I will argue the case though if one of these is the better option than the others......
My guts tell me to go with ESX - [ been using VM Ware for yonks now..... ]

[Theblacksheep]

I think this is all going to come down to cost.......!!
I will argue the case though if one of these is the better option than the others......

If you dont want vmotion, but do want HA, V3 is about £1100 a licence.

[Ric_]

If you dont want vmotion, but do want HA, V3 is about £1100 a licence.

XenServer Enterprise which includes XenMotion, HA and all the bells an whistles (except Provisioning Server which you only need for huge installs) is only a couple of hundred quid more - plus you don't need a separate management sever at the same price again!

XenServer is not as mature but development is fast-paced and it just works. I haven't tried P2V yet because I haven't had the need - one of my reasons for virtualisation was to split roles apart so I did fresh installs.

I also had a problem doing the XenServer 4.5 to 5.0 upgrade which meant I missed my allocated slot so that has had to wait to be troubleshot (is that a word?).