[Xen-users] Hardware performance question : Disk RPM speed & Xen Performance

["kevin" <k@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

 

I am a relatively new user of Xen virtualization, so you’ll have to forgive the simplistic nature of my question.

 

I have a Dell R410 poweredge server (dual quad core CPUs + 32gb ram). I plan on utilizing this server with Xen.

 

The ‘dilemma’ I am having is whether or not to replace the 2x 500gb 7.2K RPM drives that came with the server with faster 300gb 15K RPM drives. Obviously drives that spin faster in general are a better thing. I am trying to avoid investing $1,000 more in obtaining these drives unless I feel it is absolutely necessary.

 

From Xen documentation, I couldn’t get enough of an idea of how disk write and the speed of disks might play in a potential bottleneck scenario when 20-30 VMs are ultimately going to be running on the box.

 

Does anyone have any experience or advise to share? Ultimately I don’t mind spending the extra money to replace the drives but I would love to hear what your thoughts might be as far as what kind of actual performance increases I might expect.

 

Thanks!

 

Kevin

 

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