First thoughts on new VM setup (Server 2016)

[klop]

Hi all - full of cold but trying to figure a best setup for our new server.

 

I want to go VM using Hyper-V (we are currently all physical)

 

I'm thinking;

One VM for DC AD/DNS/DHCP

One VM for Files

One VM for Print

These will be backed up to an 'offsite' NAS using Veeam.

Critical files will continue to be backed-up offsite using RBUSS

 

The above will release our current Print Server so I can use it as a secondary DC with AD/DNS/DHCP - this will be physical - I believe it's a good idea to have a redundant physicl DC too - of course this could be a VM too - but RAM maybe a factor.

I understand it's best not to use a DC to host additional VMs? I'd liked to have put maybe one or two small VMs on this DC to run maybe our electronic doors, Spiceworks, Sophos.

 

We will keep a legacy older (current DC) server and use that for WSUS, non-critical files, and anything else I think of!

 

SIMS will stay on its current box and I'll be looking to VM that later - then run it back on it's current box as a VM

 

I'd also like to look at the possibilities of SCCM & WDT as soon as I have all the above up and running nicely.

 

We're a very small SEN school - hence quite a basic setup

 

Thanks :-)

[Sagima]

That looks fine. One thing to note with a virtualised DC is that you shouldn't let it obtain its time from the host if it has the PDC role. If you have that role on the VM then in hyper-V settings for that vm uncheck time synchronisation.

 

I wouldn't put much else on a DC beyond what you've said - hyper-v isn't a supported role for a domain controller so you might come across some interesting problems.

If you do radius authentication on your wifi then the DCs can look after that too.

If you need a door controller just create a separate one if you can. Have sql, if you use it, running on another virtual server for databases and have them all connect back to it rather than multiple installs of it in different places.

If you don't have the ram/disk/licences for multiple servers you could probably get away with an application server with them all on but I'd still keep sql separate.

 

I run spiceworks on one of my virtual hosts without problem. If you want that other server to host multiple small vms then make it a hyper-v host and run the dc and the sophos/door server/spiceworks on vms on it (although then the dc wouldn't be physical - having all virtual dcs is supported but my manager is quite against it and quite happy to fund my physical domain controllers so I've not pursued it.)

[CAWJames]

Don't forget licensing for virtual hosts, Standard gives you 2 Windows Server VM's, as long as you don't use the host for anything other than Hyper-v(ie no other roles allowed) or it's 1 VM and the host. Datacenter is the one to go for as it gives you unlimited VM's on the host. Linux VM's on the other hand, go for your life, install as many as you want!

 

Of course you can stack licences, so 2 standards give you 4 VM's and 3 - 6 VM's until the price point makes DC more viable.

[PotNoodleTech]

To be honest at the price datacentre is through EES it's a bargain, no sense in skimping for a few quid and limiting yourself to 2 vms.

[CAWJames]

That's exactly what we thought, 2012R2 Datacenter on all our hosts