SageTV using HD-PVR and VMware ESXi

[stanger89]

The only reason I've been looking is I'm really wanting to run unRAID, and with my R5000, I'm basically stuck running Windows for Sage, so to do so requires running two OS's side by side, which either means two sets of hardware or two VMs.

[Fuzzy]

Right, that's my situation too. But unfortunately, I'm running a server/client, so i can't really use ESXi. I am thinking about using VMWare and hosting an unRaid server in windows.. just haven't gotten around to it.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Right, that's my situation too. But unfortunately, I'm running a server/client, so i can't really use ESXi.

I don't follow, I'm running a client (extender)/server setup too. Unless by that you mean you use your server frontend. If that's the case, PCI passthrough (VMDirectPath/VT-d) will let you pass a video card through to the VM. You just have to make sure you get a supported video card.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I don't follow, I'm running a client (extender)/server setup too. Unless by that you mean you use your server frontend. If that's the case, PCI passthrough (VMDirectPath/VT-d) will let you pass a video card through to the VM. You just have to make sure you get a supported video card.

yes, that is what i mean. i dont know how well the passthrough would work on my system, its using integrated graphics. i also dont think it would really gain me anything virtualizing the whole thing. like i said, the only real advantage i see would be to use unraid with windows.

[stanger89]

True, the only thing is if you were to virtualize anything, I think you're better off running ESXi over say VMware Server since ESXi eliminates the overhead of running a VM system on top of another OS.

[Hunter69]

So I am contemplating the possibility of virtualizing, but I am not sure the route to go or if this works. Here is my setup:

WHS w sagetv v7. 2XHDPVR, 1X HDhomerun

I am just beginning to build a new unraid server.

My thoughts are:
1. Build the unraid server and install VMware server and virtualize my whs server inside vmware server.
or
2. Build the new computer. Install esxi and virtualize both unraid (w direct passthrough to the hard disks) and my whs server.

What are your thoughts on the senarios and possibility of success.

[stanger89]

Why unRAID and WHS?

[mayamaniac]

maybe bcause he already owns the license of SageTV for WHS and not want to buy another license? I'm assuming that the SageTV WHS license won't work in another OS.

[stanger89]

It will work on any Windows OS (AFAIK). It was mainly a curiosity, there's a decent amount of overlap between the two OS's.

To the question, I'd probably go with option 2. Everything I've gathered is that ESXi is much "lighter" than VMware on top of another OS. You do lose a bit of performance for the "host" OS by running it on top of VMware instead of under it, but you lose less performance on the guest-OS.

And from my limited testing the HD PVR and HDHRs should be fine virtualized.

[Hunter69]

WHS works great for backing up all my computers. I also really like the my movies auto ripping feature. Unraid for hosting all the movies (blurays really take a lot of room), easily expandible, more efficient use of disk space.

I don't like that you cannot backup the whs os but I have had to reinstall before and it isn't that bad. As long as you are backing up the sagetv folder (this is very important), all the rest is easy to recover. The backup and restore of windows computers using whs is hard to beat.