Linux Cheap VM host with FreeNAS and pfSense

Discussion in 'Software' started by Bitwacker, 19 May 2016.

  1. Bitwacker

    Bitwacker C# forever

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    For a low-volume, cheap solution, but separating the roles, I would like to build a cheap server which hosts the following VMs:
    - FreeNAS (direct access to deadicated disk)
    - psSense (OpenVPN, etc)

    Has anyone done this? Any links out there?
     
    Bitwacker, 19 May 2016
    #1
  2. TheStockBroker

    TheStockBroker Modder

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    Depends on your definition of cheap! I would personally recommend unRAID, which I am going to do a write-up on in the next week or so
     
    TheStockBroker, 19 May 2016
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  3. Flibblebot

    Flibblebot Smile with me

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    I'd second unRAID - I've been using it for years to store all my media (DVDs and CDs). There's an article of mine, somewhere round here, that I wrote detailing how I used unRAID as a media server. Things have moved on from there, and that was v4 of unRAID - it's now up to v6 and has dockers and VMs built in.

    I'd still recommend unRAID - even though the prices have gone up, I find it does everything I need it to, and it's well worth the cost. It doesn't need tweaking, it's easy to use and, most importantly, it just works.

    EDIT: The article is here. I didn't realise I'd written it that long ago :eeek:
     
    Flibblebot, 19 May 2016
    #3
  4. phuzz

    phuzz This is a title

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    If you'd rather go for free, you could go for linux as the base OS, and run VirtualBox. It does allow direct disk access (they call it raw disk access), but it looks slightly fiddly to set up (you have to create a VMDK file by hand).
    As for the hardware, make sure you get a CPU that has VT-x (Intel) or AMD-V (AMD obv.) extensions, and as much ram as you cam afford.
     
    phuzz, 19 May 2016
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  5. Kernel

    Kernel Likes cheese

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    A HP Gen8 micro server could fit the bill. Probably swap out the CPU for a low powered i3. Pair that with ESXi running as the Hypervisor.
    Can't comment on unRAID as I've not used it. But it will be the basis for my next fileserver.
     
    Kernel, 19 May 2016
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  6. faugusztin

    faugusztin I *am* the guy with two left hands

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    For software side, either use Proxmox VE (Debian 8.4 with GUI for KVM/LVE VMs), or maybe the free VMware hypervisor (ESXi).
     
    faugusztin, 19 May 2016
    #6
  7. law99

    law99 Custom User Title

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    I use ESXi 5.0 with nas4free. I pass through a sata card to it. Works great. Then I am left with loads of spare capacity for various machines. You need Intel vtd or amd Vi or something... You'd have to look it up, for the pass through direct I/o feature.

    The future is virtualizing routers and firewalls for network segregation, possibly not for network edge stuff. Is pfsense only being used for OpenVPN? If so there is a dedicated OpenVPN VMware appliance that may do what you need.
     
    law99, 20 May 2016
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