UPDATE

64GB

Intel Core i5 quad-core, 32GB RAM, SSD, small form-factor for $900. I can finally break the $1,000 barrier without sacrificing quality! This makes it super-easy for IT Pros to build a blistering fast Windows Hyper-V server that can run many VMs.

I can finally break the $1,000 barrier without sacrificing quality! This makes it super-easy for IT Pros to build a blistering fast Windows Hyper-V server that can run many VMs. Intel Core i7 hex-core, 64GB RAM, SSD, ATX form-factor for $1,725. This build is geared toward those who want double the VM density and outstanding performance.

This build is geared toward those who want double the VM density and outstanding performance. Intel Xeon E5 hex-core, 64GB RAM, SSD, ATX form-factor for $1,835. This build uses true server hardware for the ultimate in reliability and scalability.

Build #1 -- Intel Core i5 Quad-Core, 32GB RAM, SSD, Small Form-Factor, 191W for Around $900

1x Domain Controller (2GB dynamic RAM)

2x Exchange 2013 servers (4-6GB each)

1x Lync 2013 server (4GB)

1x Exchange 2010 server (4GB)

1x Application server (2GB)





I run these VMs off the 500GB SSD with Windows Server 2012 R2 disk deduplication enabled for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). This allows me to put 669GB of data on this 500GB drive and I still have 145GB free space! See Windows Server 2012 Deduplication is Amazing! for information about configuring this.





Build #2 -- Intel Core i7 Hex-Core, 64GB RAM (8x8), SSD, ATX Form-Factor, 321W for Around $1,720

Build #3 -- Intel Xeon E5 Hex-Core, 64GB RAM (4x16) Expandable to 128GB, SSD, ATX Form-Factor, 272W for Around $1,835

Server Build Options

I'm very pleased to provide you my latest EXPTA Gen6 home lab server builds. Advances in hardware and virtualization technology have made it possible for IT Pros to build sophisticated systems that host more VMs than ever before. My Home Lab Server Survey results show that while there's still tremendous interest in 32GB entry-level servers at around $1,000, there's also a lot of interest in 64GB servers at the $1,700 price point.Based on these survey results and for the fist time ever, I'm providing three different server builds:Each of the three server builds use components from the vendors' hardware compatibility lists to ensure the utmost in reliability. They will all run Windows Server 2012 R2 and should be "future-proof" to run the upcoming Windows Server 2016 release.Each build uses the same storage format -- a 256GB SSD for the OS, a 500GB or 1TB SSD for regularly running high performance VMs, and a 1TB traditional hard drive for storing ISOs, software applications, and base images. Each server utilizes SATA III 6Gb/s drives and USB 3.0 ports for the fastest I/O performance.Most survey respondents indicated that they did not need step-by-step installation guides. If you do need help, look back at my previous Gen4 and Gen5 server build articles for assistance.As usual, I link to Amazon for components and prices. Amazon does a very good job of maintaining stock, has an excellent return policy, and most of these items are eligible for free two-day shipping via Amazon Prime . If you don't have Prime, you can sign up for a free trial here and cancel after you order the equipment if you want. Please note that it's normal for Amazon prices to fluctuate (usually down) over time.Build #1 is pretty straight forward. Make sure you have everything you need and enough space to work. Most builds take about an hour and always seem to go smoother with a cold refreshing adult beverage nearby. Assemble the drive cage first, then install the PSU, motherboard, CPU and RAM to button it up. I always update the BIOS from the Internet before installing the OS. The Gigabyte BIOS allows you to do this directly from the BIOS. Nice! Once you install the OS, install and/or upgrade the drivers (especially the NIC) from the manufacturers' websites. Then install the Hyper-V role and you're off to the races!You can host quite a few VMs on this system. As an example, my Gen5 32GB version of this server runs Windows Server 2012 R2 with the Exchange 2013 Edge Transport role and Hyper-V. This server has been running 24x7 for over a year with the following VMs:This Core i7 build was requested almost as much as Build #1. It offers screaming performance and doubles the RAM for double the VM capacity. As you can see, I've traded out the 500GB SSD for a 1TB SSD to use for active VMs. This was cost prohibitive just 6 months ago. FTW!You'll also notice that this motherboard is capable of supporting 128GB of RAM, but at the current time there are no 16GB DIMMS available to support this configuration. If you really want to build a 128GB server you'll need to go with Build #3, which uses 4x16GB ECC registered DIMMs and can scale out to 8x16GB.Both the Intel Core i7 and Xeon E5 server builds use the ASRock X99 Extreme4 motherboard, which uses an integrated Intel 218V gigabit NIC. I love this motherboard, but unfortunately Intel cripples their NIC drivers so they cannot be used with Windows Server operating systems. I detailed how to overcome this in my Gen5 server build (look toward the end of the article), There's another very good article here that also covers it. You'll need to go through these steps to install and/or upgrade the Intel NIC drivers for Builds #2 or #3.Build #3 delivers the ultimate in scalability and reliability. Since this server uses registered ECC RAM it can scale out to 128GB -- just buy two of the Crucial 4x16GB memory kits. Like Build #2, this server utilizes a 1TB drive for active VMs. With disk deduplication enabled I sincerely believe you can place all your active VMs there with no problem.There are a number of options you can add to each of these builds. Here are some recommendations:I hope these builds give you the confidence to build your own home lab server. I'm interested to hear your experiences in the comments section below. Happy building!