Dell C6100/C6220 in Production ESXi? Talk me out of it?

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AERuffy

Member
Dec 12, 2013
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Background, at my current job we are running off 4x Dell 2950 First gens, each with 32GB and mid tier processors. We currently merging with another company and taking on the load of their servers/applications.

We estimate that we will need to run 60 or so VM's, 5 SQL Databases, Veeam, 6 Web servers, app servers and a ton of remote app servers and standard domain needs on these rigs. Exchange/Sharepoint/Office are on online Office 365. I do not have performance metrics yet. I just started and I'm still sorting through all of this.

I am heavily rack limited. So basically if I remove my 2950's I Have 6U to play with. The merger company is using 3x Dell R620's which they are leasing and we will not get. I have been asked to look at a replacements. Would you stick with the R620's (Around $40K with the loadout they had) or go with 2-3x C62220 instead for the same price? These can be had for $15k Fully loaded online. I've asked Dell for a direct quote and should get it tomorrow.

Dell did not want to even quote these for me as they claim (They're not meant for hypervisor hosts, more for big data compute because they don't have enough redundancy) But couldn't give me any real specifics on that. I figure with 2 or 3 chassis I would have tons of redundant nodes, separate backplanes and plenty of redundancy and power if I need it. Licensing for them would not be an issue.

So, what would you do with 6U and the dire need for an upgrade?
 

sasha

New Member
Dec 9, 2013
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Just went almost through this exercise (I am using ESX)

You don't list storage requirements..but I assume not small due to sql servers...

Had Dell 2950 III with E540x + 32gb of ram and 1TB storage.

Looked @ C6100/C6220 and decide to go with R720xd for one main reason... storage subsystem...

with H710 and 1GB cache and 26 2.5" slots.. that's a lot of capacity/performance.

since it's 2U.. you can get three of them (but two will run circles around 2950s)

for esx it's perfect..since it comes with dual raid1 sd cards (pre-loaded with esx 5.5 :) )

C6100 and C6220 are great, but not designed with ESX in mind. R720xd is. from perspective of sleeping @ night... I went with R720xd...
but I am looking at C6100 as a backup/playground little enclosure.

Finally.. take a peak @ Dell VRTX...5U, 25 2.5" and you can have it with dual raid controllers for HA. with 4 little 2 socket blades.. it's pretty compelling for your requirement.
 

AERuffy

Member
Dec 12, 2013
99
18
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Storage is handled by NetAPP, so thats not an issue. Don't need any HBA's or the like as we're using NFS. I would like to move towards 10GB-T so that would be an addon. But right now we're stuck on 2x Gb links on the 2950's

Pretty much anything I do is going to be leaps and bounds better.