Mobile lab needed

[kmcferrin]

OK, I need to put together some sort of mobile demo lab for my company that we can use to showcase different technical solutions, including virtualization. We want to be able to have at least three "servers" in as compact a solution as possible. Ideally we'd have at least a single quad core CPU with 8-16 GB of RAM in each "server", but since it's for demo purposes using server-class disk drives isn't that big of an issue.

At first I was looking at something like an HP C3000 blade chassis (the free-standing one), but it's going to be too expensive. In an ideal world we'd be able to put this together for under $15,000 USD.

I just saw this blog post this morning:

http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=567

Unfortunately it's a custom-modified case. Has anyone seen a similar solution that I can buy off the shelf, even if it is somewhat expensive?

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[wahnula]

I would start with a portable road rack like this:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GTourSHK12/

...there are also lightweight plastic ones available from SKB:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RotoRack8/

In one of these, you could mount a power conditioner/UPS, blade servers, and patch panels....but I'm a builder, and this is more a concept than solution.

There are also rack-mount slide-out LCDs and keyboard/mouse trays:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VM03Mk2/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SSL/

Now add three blade servers and you're done!

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[kmcferrin]

Yeah, that's probably a little more than I would like to go with. If we get a mini-rack and fill it with rackable servers we run into a) more expensive servers, and b) a heavier rack that I can't load into a car to take to a client site.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[gbaughma]

You could run your servers virtualized, so that you only need one physical box..... since it's for demo and not for production, that should be safe.



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[kmcferrin]

Yeah, but we need it to demo virtualization, so we need the capability to lug around a Hyper-V failover cluster or a VMWare VI environment. That means a minimum of two separate physical computers and some sort of shared storage that supports SCSI-3 persistent reservations (for demo purposes we would use a third "server" that is running iSCSI target software).

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[wahnula]

Those SKB rack enclosures are REALLY light and come in all sizes. 1U servers are not that expensive (especially since hardware does not matter), Thecus makes a 1U SCSI NAS, a 4U rack box is easily thrown in and out of a car. A KVM, patchpanel (attached to rear rails), a separate monitor and you're done.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[kmcferrin]

Ooh...I didn't see they had 4U cases...that might be just the thing.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[wahnula]

Here's the NAS:

http://pc.pcconnection.com/1/1/295897-thecus-tech-1u-rackmount-nas-server-1u4500s.html

They make one with a SCSI interface also...

http://www.serversupply.com

has lots & lots of 1U servers <$1500...some as cheap as $500 for used P4!

An interesting option to the SKB case:

http://www.avgiant.com/Gator-Cases-GRBW-4U-Lightweight-Rolling-Rack-Bag

...although it is rather shallow. Best of luck!

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[kmcferrin]

Thanks for the links. I don't think a NAS is going to cut it though. They typically provide file-level access to the storage device rather than block-level access. It it has NFS mounts that would work for VMWare demos, but for any sort of Microsoft clustering it wouldn't.

I have iSCSI target software that would work, I just need a Windows box to put it on, so I'm still looking at that 4U box.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[kmcferrin]

Thanks for all of the good suggestions! At this point I'm pitching an SKB 6U 30" deep rack w/casters (about $1250), plus a pair of Dell Poweredge R300 and a Poweredge 2950 III server. Even fairly loaded we'll squeak in under by $15,000 budget.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[wahnula]

Sounds like a winner, although that case seems a little on the expensive side. Keep us posted on how it develops.

Tony

Users helping Users...