VM with linux and windows install

[project3]

What is the best way to get Centos and windows server as virtual machines on a server. Since the server has 2 cpus I want to have the two as vm's so I can assign a cpu to each os. Now do I install centos then get vm server and create another linux and then another windows and assign cpu and memory then?

Or do i create linux then only have windows as the vm but I don't know how to split server resources that way.

[b2bwild]

If you want to run multiple linux server on linux vm server, you can use para-vitualization which is really very fast.
Using Qemu is just bit slow and not that good for servers.

If you have Intel VT or AMD-V support on your CPU, your full virtualization will be faster.

If you just dont care about the host OS, or you dont want to keep any server service on it,
I would suggest you CentOS / Debain minimalist install with Vitualization
support. and installl both servers on VM.
or If you just want something different, try VMware EXSi

[Rubberman]

I've had good luck running VirtualBox on CentOS with Windows, Linux, and Solaris guests. I have an 8 core system, so they don't bog me down too much. In fact, I'm running a guest Solaris x86 right now.

[project3]

Ok thanks for the suggestions. I don't care about the host I only really need to get windows and linux going as it is a shared hosting environment so I wanna have cpanel and windows plesk. Since its a dual xeon server I think that just the two vms will be ok.

[Rubberman]

You can get VirtualBox for Linux, Windows, Solaris, and OSX.

[b2bwild]

I wont go for Virtual Box for server virtualization..
Its just more for Desktop..
Unless you got 8 core monster cpu

Important feature for virtualization solution on server are like.

1. Command Line support - so can be used on lightweight linux.
2. Should run as a service - more stable on server. wont crash if your GUI get some problem.
3. Should have more control on system resources.
4. Dynamic ram allocation. (vbox will use up all ram, you specified on host. even if guest is using lower that that.)
5. Remote access to service not desktop.

[Rubberman]

To b2bwild:

1. VirtualBox has command-line support.
2. Doesn't require desktop - can be run remotely.
3. Huh? I though it was pretty good in the resource allocation dept. But what do I know?
4. Does allow dynamic disc allocation/growth. Not so with RAM, I think. Point for you (maybe).
5. See #2

Let the games begin!

Also, Sun provides (for $$) support for enterprise VM services, not just desktop.

[b2bwild]

I would stay, with more control, with red hat's virt-manager.
its just better that it allows you to run 1 os paravirtualized and other fully virtualized, VBox in general only supports very limited paravirtualisation through its Guest Addition device drivers.

Personally, I use vbox on my desktop, but as far as i have worked with vm's on server, I will stick to kvm/xen

[Rubberman]

That may be true. I don't have much experience (0) with server-based VM's. However, as you say, VBox is great for workstation-based VM's. If you want to use, for example, nvidia display adapters on a system for HD graphics, xen doesn't work at all (no nVidia support for xen). If you are running remote clients on VM's then you are probably correct.

There is no "perfect for all situations" solution here. What works best depends upon what you are doing and using the system for.