# Install prod server on virtual machine



## hasdou (Aug 6, 2011)

Hi everyone,

My organization would like to install a production server (Wordpress website on FreeBSD) as a virtual machine.

1) Are there any limitation/problem if using FreeBSD as a Virtual Machine ?
2) Do you know actual prod websites installed on virtual infrastructure ?

Thank you for helping,

David


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## phoenix (Aug 8, 2011)

FreeBSD (last time I checked) doesn't support any para-virtualised device drivers, so you can only install it into a hardware-assisted VM (like Linux-based KVM, or Xen) or a full hardware emulated VM (like QEmu, VirtualBox, VMWare).

You will want to make sure the VM uses SCSI disks and the Intel e1000 NIC driver.  These are emulated devices (which means they aren't the fastest possible) but they are fully supported by FreeBSD and are generally "fast enough".  Just be sure the VM host system has a (lot of) fast CPU.

As for Q2, we run our main district website on Linux in a KVM-based VM; and we run a KVM-based VM for our Moodle server (separate Moodle installs for each school in the district -- this is the primary school website); and we run a KVM-based VM for our Moodle 2.0 servers (split into proxy, web, nfs, and db VMs); and we have our web-based report card server in a Xen VM.

So long as you have fast storage, lots of RAM, and lots of fast CPUs, using VMs can work beautifully.


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## mix_room (Aug 10, 2011)

Maybe a FreeBSD jail (http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/jails.html) would suit you just as well.


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## mav@ (Aug 11, 2011)

phoenix said:
			
		

> FreeBSD (last time I checked) doesn't support any para-virtualised device drivers, so you can only install it into a hardware-assisted VM (like Linux-based KVM, or Xen) or a full hardware emulated VM (like QEmu, VirtualBox, VMWare.



I can't say about production qualities, but not so long ago I have tested 9-CURRENT under Xen. Full virtualization mode works fine on i386 UP VM (SMP and amd64 are not implemented there). PV drivers for i386 Xen HVM mode are not supported now. PV drivers for amd64 Xen HVM mode are present and working fine on both UP and SMP.


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