inputs on selecting low power mini-itx for baremetal or linux LVM/parai/o

[canta]

I am looking to replace running esxi 5.5 on celeron 847 with two crappy realtek onboard NICs.

my cheap candidates:
1) Intel J 1800 + dual NIC intel ( only pci-e X1 connected due on J1800/J1900 design)
2) Intel J 1900
3) AMD A4-5000 + dual NIC intel ( Yes.... pci-e X4...)

I plan to replace with more muscle-umph but still keep low-power consumption that will be running:
1)Running IP COP ( or IP FIRE) with whitelisting, proxy, DHCP server, openVPM and other services(do not remember at this time).
2) Running 2-3 mostly idle debian/ubuntu server for my quick errand/housekeeping that running 24/7
3) running additional VMs For testing purposes.

Still deciding to move to proxmox or stay with esxi, since I have move one machine successfully from esxi 5 to proxmox 3.4

any input are welcomed .

thanks!

 

[markarr]

ESXI does not work on J1900 boards, more than likely J1800 as well. Something to do with the onboard video of the cpu that throws a wrench into it.

 

[T_Minus]

For a low power box that has more options than ITX I went with this CPU, and a SuperMicro mATX board

ARK | Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1220L (3M Cache, 2.20 GHz)

I'm not sure how it'd work with ESXI you may be better going with the Atom 8 Core but iirc it's a bit more power and ITX 1 PCIE slot.

 

[canta]

For a low power box that has more options than ITX I went with this CPU, and a SuperMicro mATX board

ARK | Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1220L (3M Cache, 2.20 GHz)

I'm not sure how it'd work with ESXI you may be better going with the Atom 8 Core but iirc it's a bit more power and ITX 1 PCIE slot.

too much $$$$ ...

I plan to buy consumer (entry level) SOC mini-itx solution and cheap since just running not heavy on duty. (

I already have DDR3 RAM unbuff , mini-itx DC -DC board,and Intel 520 SSD, Broadcom dual nic pci-e 1 X 4 .

My running system is mini-itx Celeron 847 with dual-nic realtek and SATA 3G Samsung SSD.

 

[canta]

ESXI does not work on J1900 boards, more than likely J1800 as well. Something to do with the onboard video of the cpu that throws a wrench into it.

no prblemo. I can move to proxmox ....

 

[T_Minus]

Gotcha! Normally I go Intel but for what you get for the $$ the AMD seems to be better $/options + power usage.

BIOSTAR A68N-5000 AMD A4-5000 Quad-Core APU Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU/VGA Combo - Newegg.com
(just example of a cheap one I found, not suggesting it or claiming to have used it)

I have no clue what works with it or not though

 

[canta]

Gotcha! Normally I go Intel but for what you get for the $$ the AMD seems to be better $/options + power usage.

BIOSTAR A68N-5000 AMD A4-5000 Quad-Core APU Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU/VGA Combo - Newegg.com
(just example of a cheap one I found, not suggesting it or claiming to have used it)

I have no clue what works with it or not though

that looks reasonable.... for $50 without rebate .....hahah

thanks for the input.

 

[canta]

well, I realized that bought J1800 mini-itx for $35 from new egg
yeah, video cause the issue on esxi.

I am testing with proxmox 3.4 know. d*mn more power than my Celeron 847. testing with ipfire due on newer kernel 3.X..

I am impress.... 8Watt only for running proxmox and two VM (ipfire, and ubuntu 14 LTS). J1800 is still atom with steroid and known as "Celeron".

would add extra 5W when dual port i340 is added later .
13W for total.. I am in ...

 

[T_Minus]

Congrats @canta !! That's some low power

I still need to see what my old NUCs run but I hope to be ~15w too cleaning I found a LIVA SOC Bay Trail-M, I think they're low power too but it was like $60 or something for the "kit"