HP ProLiant MicroServer
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Hello,
can i install pfsense on HP ProLiant MicroServer?
Thanks
Avi -
Yes, you can.
Quite a few people install VMware ESXi and then run pfSense as a virtual machine alongside something like NAS4free (to use the disc space you can put into one of those little boxes).
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Hi,
just to make it clear,
do i need to install the esx on the HP Microserver or on other vm?
Thanks
Avi -
Hi,
ESXi is installed on the MicroServer. Then you install pfSense as a VM.
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/PfSense_2_on_VMware_ESXi_5
However, just to be clear, you don't have to install pfSense as a VM. It can be installed directly on the MicroServer.
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Thanks for your quick respond,
so if i can install the pf sense directly on the microserver why using the esx?
Avi -
Because, as Biggsy said, one of the strong points of the microserver is that it has space for a lot of storage. If you want to use that you need to run something other than pfSense. It's possible to make the box perform both firewall and NAS duties with pfSense and nas4free installed as VMs. If you're running this at home you're unlikely to need all the available cpu power for pfSense so why not put it to good use.
Steve
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It works well in a Microserver try virtual box then you can use windows 2008/7 as well. It runs untangle well also like this. It hasn't the CPU to bridge though.
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Why virtualbox if microserver support an Hypervisor like ESXI?
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It's just that if the OP wishes to do other things although he can still run Windows 2008/7 in ESXI. He might want to install USB TV and record with programs like Dvbviewer which in the Microserver don't work in ESXI. If that is so he would be better sticking with Virtual box. Also storage considerations like raid are more readily available with 2008/ virtualbox solution, because the host is an OS which can be used at all times.
I have had mine running DVB Viewer taping from 4 tuners, Untangle in a Virtualbox, and fully able to use Windows 2008 at all times. With Untangle in the VM limits cpu wise to about max 50Mbps down. With pfsense I can get full down speeds inside the VM no problem.
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Have you tried device passthrough under ESXi?
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edrias:
Bear in mind that the microserver only comes with one (broadcom(bge0)) NIC and although you can use vlans if you have a managed switch, its better to fill up the spare slot with a dual NIC.
I had the early version of the microserver (1.4ghz?) setup with esxi and it struggled with 3 vm's, the limitation is not the memory (upto 16GB supported) but the cpu, because of that I use it now purely for storage (iscsi for vm etc etc).
For bare metal use for pfsense its more than enough, especially if you add more NIC.
Just my experience.
