Topic: Server-only new install on vSphere (ESXi 5): some advice needed

[Michail Pappas]

Hello all,

I am a newbie in vmware and need some advice on how to set a 8.0b7 installation as a host. I've read the relevant threads here, but there are a couple of things I'd like the experts' opinion on : The system will be used in standalone mode, as a mail server (mainly POP-3, some with webmail):

1) The server has a hardware RAID disk. Am I correct in presuming that it would be better to install without any SME software raid functionality?

2) I've calculated a 30Gb space for user mailboxes. According to the same calculations, this is more than enough. Do I need lvm and if I don't can I avoid using it during installation?

3) Is vmxnet 3 the best card I could select for the vm?

Thanks in advance for your time.

[ReetP]

Hi,

I'm no expert, but a couple of thoughts anyway

I am a newbie in vmware and need some advice on how to set a 8.0b7 installation as a host. I've read the relevant threads here, but there are a couple of things I'd like the experts' opinion on : The system will be used in standalone mode, as a mail server (mainly POP-3, some with webmail):

1) The server has a hardware RAID disk. Am I correct in presuming that it would be better to install without any SME software raid functionality?

Generally reckoned to be better to install it with software raid - there are plenty of discussions on the matter. It probably also depends on your hardware etc etc

2) I've calculated a 30Gb space for user mailboxes. According to the same calculations, this is more than enough. Do I need lvm and if I don't can I avoid using it during installation?

If you have a read in the wiki & elsewhere, I believe there is an option at startup for nolvm or similar. Whether you need it or not is another matter - again, have a good read around.

3) Is vmxnet 3 the best card I could select for the vm?

I'm afraid I can't comment on this !

Hope you get it sorted.

B. Rgds
John

[Michail Pappas]

Hello, preferred to re-open this discussion, instead of starting a new one. Some questions here, considering that now SME 8 has been released and a 64-bit version is also available.

1) During inital vm configuration which OS type do you configure the VM for? Red Hat 5 32-bit or CentOS?
2) Any comments on the 64-bit SME 8 reliability in general or in the context of a VM? IOW, any significant reason against?

[Knyte]

Here's my config, also running VMTools.  Performance has been great.

I can't tell you what the b3st evar config might be, and someone might advise something more optimal, but it's been v stable and problem free.  Except when I break something.

[purvis]

i thought that most of those setups where just to give you a basic setup configuration.
there may be some extra files loaded from a small iso provided by the vm software maker.
you can search for iso files on your system after loading the vm software and see what you find.
More than likely you might only find a linux.iso, ubuntu.iso, or other iso files. Let that be some guide to you of what you find.
please report back if you found some iso files from your vm software.
 

[Boris]

Hello, preferred to re-open this discussion, instead of starting a new one. Some questions here, considering that now SME 8 has been released and a 64-bit version is also available.

1) During inital vm configuration which OS type do you configure the VM for? Red Hat 5 32-bit or CentOS?
2) Any comments on the 64-bit SME 8 reliability in general or in the context of a VM? IOW, any significant reason against?

Considering your 30GB estimated mailbox storage, its not a big server and you will not need more then 4GB of RAM. More likely 1 or 2GB is plenty. So 32bit OS is your choice. Select Centos 5 32Bit. Nothing against 64bit, but you simply don't need it. Stay with main base of the distro for future compatibility.
Make virtual drive larger then you think you need, but thin provisioned. 60GB is a good choice. Small drive performance penalty for thin provisioning will not be noticed since no sudden growth on the mail server is expected and its not a real-time application anyway.
On boot, type sme raid=none nolvm. Your drive redunduncy is already covered by host's RAID.
E1000 (Intell 1GB) card supported natively by SME. It is enough for e-mail server. Install vmware-tools manually after you done with SME installation and updates.
It should work just fine.

[Michail Pappas]

@Boris: your advice was just what I was looking for, thanks a zillion mate!

EDIT: For the record I selected a 30Gb drive initially, since I am expecting ~200 POP-3 users (no imap). There will be ~20 users with webmail though, with a 100Mbyte mail quota for each (OT: does SME provide means to limit mailbox quotas? )

In the next 15 years I am actually expecting the user count to go down...

[Boris]

200 POP users is still not a very large mail server. I believe quotas given per user, count against their mailboxes too (needs confirmation). Larger, thin provisioned disk will not occupy full amount of disk space, only what really used by system and data. It will give you some room in the future and allow to avoid surprises and urgent looking for solution to resize the filesystem. Install diskusage contrib to watch the space used on the server. Some POP users will configure their client to leave a copy of the messages on the server and you will need more room faster then you expect. Today demand for mail storage is growing fast, be prepared.