Server for Smarthome / Docker host

Question

Hello all I am planning to upgrade my SmartHome with a DELL Rack Server. I mainly need it to be able to run Docker Containers (Home Assistant, Confluence, Databases, Git, Web and maybe some Minecraft ;) ). Not sure yet if the Docker containers should run directly on the server or if I want to use ESXi on the Server and run the docker images in a VM. Any advices or experience on that? Additionally, I am currently looking at an R230 or R330 or R440 server. The R440 is the newest and would also allow a lot of upgrades (probably much more than I need for that scenario). The R230/R330 are older but I was not able to find a real difference between them (except the different chassis options). Did I miss something? Also if I plan to run a Linux directly on the server (without an ESXi VM), I planned on using Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, are they able to run on the R230 and R330? I only found a 'certificate' that 16.04 runs on them. Is there anyone who installed 18.04 on any of them? Thank you for your inputs on that topic. Best Regards, Roman

DELL-Josh Cr · Answer

Hi, The R230 and 330 are only validated for 16.04. https://certification.ubuntu.com/hardware/201510-19835/

RomBae · Answer

Yes I saw that. Does that mean that 18.04 does not work or just it might not work? That's why I'm asking if someone tried. I guess it is easier to use ESXi then and put Ubuntu in a VM then. Since ESXi 6.7U1 can be run on R230 and R330 I wonder, why it isn't possible to directly order one of the servers directly with ESXi installed. Any clue?

Regards,
Roman

DELL-Josh Cr · Answer

It will probably work fine, it just hasn’t been tested. I see ESXi as a preinstalled option under Virtualization options on the order page.

PowerEdge Hardware General

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