Major Virtualization implementation guide/help

[Zstream]

Can someone please critique my implementation idea. If anyone has some idea's please let me know.

Red Hat Enterprise Server - Enterprise Support
Red Hat Desktop OS - Enterprise Support
Qumranet Virtualization technology (KVM) - Speed, cost and manageability is key.

• 2 x 4 way Quad core AMD Opteron 8384 - 32 cores total
  64GB of ram each - 128GB ram
  1TB Storage - Raid 5 (No NAS)

I would prefer 8 way and 128GB RAM server.

Each virtual desktop will use:
Red Hat Desktop
512mb RAM dedicated
1gb storage outside of the base virtual (Possible, may not allow storage all together)
Firefox
Open Office (If needed WINE office 2003 viewers)
Thunderbird for outlook client (OWA for those without outlook client needs)

I am trying to get 175VM's out of this thing, possibly more *crosses fingers*

 

[Zstream]

Sad bear bump

 

[yinan]

What exactly are you trying to get done?

 

[tfinch2]

You're trying to maximize performance & consolidation without a bare metal hypervisor?

 

[Nothinman]

Since these are Linux desktops is there a reason you chose separate VMs instead of just remote X desktops?

 

[yinan]

The really weak point of that set up is the drives. There is no way in a hell a 1 TB array can support that many users unless he is using 100 10 GB drives, not even close to enough spindles.

 

[Riddler]

agree with yinan. check the IO of your nas/san whatever you're using, it's not going to be near enough. set up a single workstation and use IOMeter to test.