Hi, I am new to this list. I am planning for hardware upgrade for a new Linux installation, and I am planning to have it Xen-based. I am planning to use stable Xen 2.x. This is not going to be a hyper-performance computer, just a home computer. So here are few questions I have: What configurations of CPU/Motherboard/Chipset etc. are already known not to work, or have problems with Xen? Are there any configurations specifically recommended for Xen? (I am going to assemble the computer myself anyway). Will I get any advantage from using a dual-core CPU? Hyperthreading CPU? Intel vs. AMD vs. whatever else? If not, then perhaps I'll be looking for older (and cheaper) CPU/motherboards. Is it possible to use a CDRW drive for writing CDs from DomU if the drive is on the same IDE controller as other harddrives are? If there have already been discussions on these topics please send me links. Please cc your replies to golubovsky@gmail.com Thank you. -- Dimitry Golubovsky Anywhere on the Web _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
I''m sure there are some motherboards that doesn''t work with Xen, but generally it''s not a common occurrence (aside from some particular ones, but those are generally server machines, which I don''t think you''re after buying anyways). Dual core is a good thing, as it helps getting the Dom0 to work at the same time as DomU - This is definitely a good thing. I''d say AMD CPU''s are better, but if you check my domain name you''d know why, and I''m sure the Intel guy''s would argue that theirs are better... ;-) You can''t have direct access to hardware from the DomU if you also have access to the same hardware (i.e. IDE controller) from Dom0, that''s just not going to work [all sorts of interesting conflicts/race-conditions and so on]. So, the only way that you MAY get the CDRW to work under DomU would be to have the entire controller controlled by (the same) DomU. This would work, but I have a feeling you actually wanted the other hard drive(s) to work on Dom0, which is not an option here. It may be possible to create a virtual CDRW in the DomU and let Dom0 do the actual writing of the CDRW, but I''m pretty sure that support isn''t there right now... If you''re not buying this machine in the next couple of weeks, it would make sense to think about Xen 3.0, as that should be available some time pretty soon [But I don''t work at XenSource, so I have no REAL information on when it''s going to happen]. -- Mats -----Original Message----- From: xen-users-bounces@lists.xensource.com [mailto:xen-users-bounces@lists.xensource.com] On Behalf Of Dimitry Golubovsky Sent: 11 November 2005 17:58 To: xen-users@lists.xensource.com Subject: [Xen-users] Hardware recommendations for XEN Hi, I am new to this list. I am planning for hardware upgrade for a new Linux installation, and I am planning to have it Xen-based. I am planning to use stable Xen 2.x. This is not going to be a hyper-performance computer, just a home computer. So here are few questions I have: What configurations of CPU/Motherboard/Chipset etc. are already known not to work, or have problems with Xen? Are there any configurations specifically recommended for Xen? (I am going to assemble the computer myself anyway). Will I get any advantage from using a dual-core CPU? Hyperthreading CPU? Intel vs. AMD vs. whatever else? If not, then perhaps I''ll be looking for older (and cheaper) CPU/motherboards. Is it possible to use a CDRW drive for writing CDs from DomU if the drive is on the same IDE controller as other harddrives are? If there have already been discussions on these topics please send me links. Please cc your replies to golubovsky@gmail.com Thank you. -- Dimitry Golubovsky Anywhere on the Web _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
> Will I get any advantage from using a dual-core CPU? Hyperthreading > CPU? Intel vs. AMD vs. whatever else? If not, then perhaps I''ll be > looking for older (and cheaper) CPU/motherboards.The extra horsepower from dual core is always a good thing ;-) Either dual core or hyperthreading allows you to run domUs *concurrently* with dom0, which can improve uniprocessor IO performance (although if you''re not highly stressing the system it won''t matter so much). Most hardware will work OK, although as usual it''s better to steer clear of the well-known manufacturers who play fast and loose with the specs. In general most stuff that works with Linux should work with Xen - even more so for Xen 3.0.> Is it possible to use a CDRW drive for writing CDs from DomU if the > drive is on the same IDE controller as other harddrives are?''fraid not. Cheers, Mark> If there have already been discussions on these topics please send me > links. > > Please cc your replies to golubovsky@gmail.com > > Thank you. > > -- > Dimitry Golubovsky > > Anywhere on the Web_______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
Mark Williamson wrote (ao):> > Is it possible to use a CDRW drive for writing CDs from DomU if the > > drive is on the same IDE controller as other harddrives are? > > ''fraid not.I''m not the OP, but, can''t it be ''exported'' via iSCSI? Kind regards, Sander -- Humilis IT Services and Solutions http://www.humilis.net _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
>> > Is it possible to use a CDRW drive for writing CDs from DomU if the >> > drive is on the same IDE controller as other harddrives are? >> >> ''fraid not. > >I''m not the OP, but, can''t it be ''exported'' via iSCSI?*can* you export CD writers by iSCSI? I''d never heard of it, but if it works in general, it''ll work under Xen. Cheers, Mark _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
>> > Is it possible to use a CDRW drive for writing CDs from DomU if the > >> > drive is on the same IDE controller as other harddrives are? > >Heard of that in windows using some proprietary software, but never heard of that in linux... Any idea howto do that??? Regards, _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
Thanks everybody who answered. -- Dimitry Golubovsky Anywhere on the Web _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users