Project Overview

After a long search, I finally found the perfect upgrade for my Proxmox server setup—a Dell PowerEdge R630! My old server was actually a repurposed desktop, which, while it did the job, was hitting its limits. The desktop, my former gaming rig, had served me well over the years, but with just a 2-core CPU and no RAID or backup drive options, it was time to make a change. When I came across someone selling datacenter servers on the cheap, I couldn’t resist.

For $130, I picked up a Dell PowerEdge R630 with some serious firepower: two Intel Xeon E5-2630 v3 CPUs (each with 8 cores), 64GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 2-port 10Gbps SFP NIC. All I needed was to add my own hard drive for storage, and I was set to give my homelab the horsepower it deserved.

Objectives

My goals for this upgrade were simple but ambitious:

1. Flexibility and Scalability: The R630 has loads of RAM slots (capable of up to 1TB of RAM) and plenty of drive bays, giving me room to grow. I wanted a server that could handle CPU-intensive tasks and large databases without bottlenecks.
2. Enhanced Networking: The 4 integrated Gigabit NIC’s allows me to bond multiple 1Gb Ethernet connections, enabling faster and more reliable network speeds while also having a 2 port 10gig SPF NIC for future upgrades. I also wanted the server to be better equipped for future networking needs.

Specs: Old vs. New

Feature	Old Desktop Server	New Dell PowerEdge R630
CPU	2-core	2 x 8-core Intel Xeon E5-2630 v3
RAM	64GB DDR4	64GB DDR4 (expandable to 1TB)
Storage	1 HDD (No RAID or backup)	10 Drive Bays with Hardware RAID Controller
Network	x1 1Gb NIC	x4 1Gb Integrated NIC’s x2 10Gb SFP NIC

The PowerEdge was a serious upgrade on every level, and I was excited to get it up and running.

Setup Process

1. Hardware Setup

Setting up the hardware was straightforward. Since the server came fully assembled, I only had to add my own 1TB SSD. The drive caddies were included, so I just mounted my SSD in a caddy and slid it into one of the drive bays.

The real learning curve came when dealing with the hardware RAID controller. I’d never worked with one before, and initially, my SSD wasn’t being detected as a storage device when I tried installing Proxmox. After a bit of digging (and asking ChatGPT for help), I learned that the server looks to the RAID controller for “Virtual Storage,” which hadn’t been set up yet. I accessed the RAID controller’s configuration, used the default settings to set up my SSD in a RAID 0 configuration, and created a virtual storage volume. Problem solved—now Proxmox could see my SSD as a valid storage device.

2. Migrating VMs from Old Server to New Server

Next came the big task of moving my VMs from the old desktop server to the new R630. My initial plan was to set up both servers in a Proxmox cluster and perform a live migration. However, I hit a roadblock: the storage on the new server was smaller than the old one’s. Even though my VMs weren’t fully using the allocated storage, Proxmox required enough space to match the VM allocations, so the migration failed around 80% completion. Lesson learned!

In the end, I restored my VMs from weekly backups stored on my Synology NAS. Always back up your data! It saved me from a major data loss, and I could restore the VMs to the new Proxmox server without too much hassle.

3. Network Bonding in Proxmox

With everything up and running, I tackled network bonding to get the best performance out of my x4 1Gb NIC’s. Using the Proxmox GUI, I set up a Linux Bond for my network interfaces. Proxmox makes this easy—you can select the interfaces to bond, and then update your Linux bridge to use the bonded interface instead of a single one. This gave my server a stronger, faster connection, all with a few clicks.

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge 1: RAID Controller Configuration

While adding the SSD was a breeze, getting it recognized in Proxmox required learning how to configure the RAID controller. Once I figured out how to set up a virtual storage volume, everything worked smoothly, but it was a lesson in the complexities of enterprise hardware.

Challenge 2: Migrating VMs

My initial migration plan fell through due to storage limitations, which caused the live migration to fail mid-process. Thankfully, my regular backups saved me here. I restored the VMs to the new server from my Synology NAS backups, a reminder of how crucial backups are, especially for homelab setups where downtime can be inconvenient.

Challenge 3: Network Bonding

Setting up network bonding was actually straightforward in Proxmox, but it was a new experience for me. With Proxmox’s user-friendly GUI, I was able to configure the network bonding quickly, giving me enhanced network throughput for my upgraded setup.

Outcome and Lessons Learned

The R630 has been a huge step up from my old desktop server. It handles CPU-intensive tasks and large databases without breaking a sweat, and my network speeds are faster thanks to the bonded interfaces. My biggest takeaway? Data backups are priceless. Without my Synology NAS backups, this migration could have been a nightmare.

I also learned that for big hardware migrations, it’s wise to plan for extra time. I started my migration in the late afternoon (around 5 PM), thinking it would be quick, but the unexpected issues kept my services offline overnight. Starting earlier and having a better plan could’ve saved me a few headaches.

Future Plans

I’m already thinking of ways to make the most of this server. First on the list is adding multiple drives to take advantage of the RAID controller’s data redundancy options. With a RAID setup, I can ensure that even if one drive fails, my server stays operational and data remains safe.

Another goal is to experiment with additional Proxmox features and possibly even some Kubernetes configurations. This server has the power to handle far more than my old setup, and I’m looking forward to putting it to work!