I'm looking to replace my existing Dell servers because they've been in service since 2018 and only support up to Windows 2022 LTSC for my Hyper-V setup. I'd like to future-proof with something that can support the 2025 version. Right now, I have Server 2019 licenses, so I know an upgrade is necessary. I have a total of 11 VMs at my main site and 4 at a secondary site, and I feel like the current setup is a bit much for my needs.
Here's the rundown of my current infrastructure:
- **Main Site:**
- (2) Dell PowerEdge 740xd servers with:
- 2 CPUs, 24 cores each (Intel Xeon Gold 6136 @ 3.00GHz),
- 256 GB DDR4 each.
- (1) Dell PowerVault ME4024 SAN with 12 TB SSD (only using about 2 TB).
- **Secondary Site:**
- (1) Dell PowerEdge 740xd (same specs as above) with ~9 TB HDD storage (currently using about 750 GB).
Utilization of my 11 VMs on one host is low: CPU is at 13%, memory at 1%, IO at 15%, and SYS at 11%. I plan to keep the SAN since it's reliable, but I'm exploring options beyond moving to Azure. What do you think is the best approach?
4 Answers
I get where you're coming from wanting to future-proof, but Server 2022 isn't reaching EoL until 2031. Why not wait a few years and upgrade when the latest version drops? That way, you could save money without sacrificing performance right now!
It sounds like you've got some solid hardware there. Sometimes having over-specced servers is a good problem to have! Can you explain more about what you're hoping to achieve by upgrading? Maybe there's a case for staying put for now since your current setup seems to be doing fine.
I agree! Unless your servers are really causing you issues, sticking with what works may be best. Hardware upgrades can be a huge expense, especially when the current ones are doing great.
Yeah, and if you're on a tight budget, continue using that gear until you absolutely have to swap it out—especially with the price of hardware now!
You mentioned wanting to keep the SAN, which is good. Maybe consider refreshing just the drives, as that’s where you might experience failures. Also, some users have had success switching to alternative solutions for virtualization that are less resource-intensive than Hyper-V—might be worth exploring!
Thanks for the tip! I didn’t realize there might be lighter options. It’s something I’ll definitely consider before rushing into another hardware purchase.
If it were me, I’d hold off on replacing everything right away. Figure out what your immediate needs are—are your servers struggling with the load? I doubt it. You can prioritize some maintenance, like swapping out drives which tend to fail more often, without overhauling everything. Think about migrating to a lighter setup if Hyper-V is more than you need.
Honestly, this seems like a sound strategy. Keeping an eye on prices and demand before making a decision can save you a lot.