A server for nightly builds. (was: Nightly builds)

[Ralf Habacker]

Bernhard Reiter schrieb:
> Am Dienstag, 25. August 2009 13:51:26 schrieb Ralf Habacker:
>   
>>  If the build server would be hosted also on 1&1 one can
>> benefit from the big pipe (about 6MB/s) between both servers for quickly
>> release transfering.
>> They have also a separate ftp backup space and a separated firewall
>> which reduce the maintaince on the server (I installed already some
>> windows and linux servers in this way )
>>     
>
> I wonder if using VirtualBox on a GNU/Linux machine would be an option:
>   
- sounds good
> Pros:
> + Can run more than once build process simultaniously, 
>   
and specific platform test vm's could be created to check functionality 
for a specific windows os
> + more flexible with  the needed windows variant.
>   
agreed
> + More separation from the internet, possibly less maintenance effort in 
>     keeping stuff secure
>   
yes, in the opposite some more efforts required on the host, see network 
issue below
> + Server rent less expensive, so we get more computing power for less
>
> Cons:
> - A speed cost of running VirtualServer
>   
seems no problem on a server  with good performance - from 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirtualBox "VirtualBox achieves a 
performance that is comparable to that of VMware"
> - A little less native, though this should not matter for the builds.
>   
the drawback is that harddisc of a will probably be huge - i guess about 
25-40 GB for a single vm.
> - We need to buy windows licenses separately and manage them if we
>    build in parallel
>   
- Does anyone have free windows license  xp, vista, windows 7 ? 64 
releases ? I remember that some mdsn packages contains os licenses.

Some notes:
- On many root server there is - in vmware terms - "no bridged network" 
possible.  According to 
http://kex.cc/2006/09/16/vmware-auf-einem-rootserver-betreiben/ (only 
german)  vm's have to use nat and on the host a private network has to 
be installed

There are also the following questions:
- Which linux os is prefered ?   (I personally only have knowledge with 
opensuse)
- Does anyone have experience installing virtualbox on a root server ?
- Does anyone have enough knowledge to deal with the above mentioned 
network issues ?

Ralf