Limit or not cores per VM? Hoping for VM experienced users to answer...

[namednoob]

I am currently setting up a machine to run 9~10 bots using VMWare workstation 10, the computer setting is as follow:

CPU A8 5600K 3.60GHz (not very confident on this CPU might swtich at a later time for an i7)
Memory 24 GB GSkill Ripjaws
Video 7950 Sapphire 3GHz

I need to be able to run at least 10 instances of wow(I don't need more than 9 running and yes they will run at the same time all together) and I haven't tried it with more than 5 yet.

This is the current setup I am planning is 1 core and 2GB per VM leaving a total of 4 GB for the computer it self.

My main question is should I limit the core per VM or let all VM's use all the computer has to offer from the CPU?

If limit is 1 core fine to run everything I need?

Based on your own experience using VM what would you suggest / advise me?

I am also using a config.wtf that was available around here on the forums somewhere with a little twist on what I found best.

 

[Itomok]

That CPU is more than enough if you're using it solely as a bot machine. If you are then dedicate all cores to each instance. This speeds it up when one instance needs more CPU during heavy load. If you had 2 instances for every 2 cores and both are doing a heavy load then both will lag. When using all cores the slowdown absorbed across more cores. If you use it for gaming them it would be a good idea to leave at least 1-2 cores to yourself.

 

[namednoob]

That CPU is more than enough if you're using it solely as a bot machine. If you are then dedicate all cores to each instance. This speeds it up when one instance needs more CPU during heavy load. If you had 2 instances for every 2 cores and both are doing a heavy load then both will lag. When using all cores the slowdown absorbed across more cores. If you use it for gaming them it would be a good idea to leave at least 1-2 cores to yourself.

Thanks for the answer itomok.

Its specifically for BOTing have nothing else on that PC besides the VM, every VM uses 50GB have 10GB free with Windows7 32bit for every 5 VM's I have a 500GB HD as not to overload disk write/read etc even thought I don't think there is a lot of disk i/o on what it does and the Main OS which is Win7 64bits have its own 200GB HD for files backups and whatsoever.

 

[Itomok]

Thanks for the answer itomok.

Its specifically for BOTing have nothing else on that PC besides the VM, every VM uses 50GB have 10GB free with Windows7 32bit for every 5 VM's I have a 500GB HD as not to overload disk write/read etc even thought I don't think there is a lot of disk i/o on what it does and the OS have its own 200GB HD for files backups and whatsoever.

Look into symlinks and you can use a single wow folder on the base OS. Symlink all the folders with the MPQs and nothing else. On the first wow run inside a vm it will create all the WTF and other personal info on that specific instance. I use 10gb virtual drive for each one like that with about 4gb to spare. I/O wont cause any crashes with that few instances but an SSD will speed it up ridiculously. The crucial m5 480gb mlc is only around $210 on amazon/newegg. If you have 10gb instances its well worth it. Especially if say you have 20 accounts and run them 10 at a time on 12 hour shifts.

Also I/O bottlenecks aren't related to size so much as to disk speed/rpm,cache,cluster size and transfer speeds. I've run up to 15 instances on some older sata2 drives before running into vm instability from io bottlenecking. Get the transfer rates specs off your hd and just compare it to an vm instance running wow/hb watching disk IO in resource monitor and from there you can multiply it to see how many you could run on your hd.

 

[namednoob]

Look into symlinks and you can use a single wow folder on the base OS. Symlink all the folders with the MPQs and nothing else. On the first wow run inside a vm it will create all the WTF and other personal info on that specific instance. I use 10gb virtual drive for each one like that with about 4gb to spare. I/O wont cause any crashes with that few instances but an SSD will speed it up ridiculously. The crucial m5 480gb mlc is only around $210 on amazon/newegg. If you have 10gb instances its well worth it. Especially if say you have 20 accounts and run them 10 at a time on 12 hour shifts.

Also I/O bottlenecks aren't related to size so much as to disk speed/rpm,cache,cluster size and transfer speeds. I've run up to 15 instances on some older sata2 drives before running into vm instability from io bottlenecking. Get the transfer rates specs off your hd and just compare it to an vm instance running wow/hb watching disk IO in resource monitor and from there you can multiply it to see how many you could run on your hd.

Thanks for the extra info, I am not so worried about I/O I just happen to had a lot HD's laying around doing nothing and I thought it could be a good idea to do it that way. The symlink is actually a great idea I will check that out to lessen a bit of the space used the OS itself is taking around 10GB wow around 29GB so that along with some applications removal might shrink the space used a lot.

Unhappily any parts I get outside my country are imported and have a lot of fees on top of it to get inside and SSD around here ain't cheap don't think I will be getting one for this anytime soon but yes I do know SSD rocks I have on my main a Vertex3 and an Corsair.

If I can get the 9 running smoothly I will be more than happy my goal is to get it to raid, I've notice that when into LFR with 25 players and stuff casting spells and all that stuff memory used on wow goes to around 1GB~1.2GB so I was assuming 2GB/each would be a nice safe margin perhaps there is more I could optimize on configs but honestly not sure what else I could change.

---

Here is an update, I've been working on the VM most of the day and I simple can't get paste 4 running bots with the above described computer using VMWare Workstation 10, memory is never above 12GB and with 4 bots CPU usage is at 70% constant and if I try to add an extra one it will hit 100% and eventually none of the bots will work as expected.

I've been trying and changing all sort of configuration from color to window sizes and core limit the one configuration which allowed me to run the 4 bots so far was by setting the cores of each VM to 2.

I was expecting it to use some video card but the video card is barely being used to my surprise it never gets out of 300MHz which I found very oddly could it perhaps be trying to use the CPU integrated APU causing the issue of it not allowing me to run more VM's?

As it is they will probably level up just fine but I doubt they would be able to run dungeons we will find out soon enough when they get to 15.

 

[ltbaron]

Itomok I see you have some experience with vmware workstation, I'm using one myself with my gaming laptop:
i7 - 3gz
16 gb 1600mhz ram
256 SSD
GF GX660M 2gb - 256 bit
And I have some interesting failure when running 9 vm (windows 8.1) all lowest setttings and fps lowest (8 fps) I use 1,5gb and 1 core/instance and when I close hb wow crash with bex or appcrash error, but when I increase cores to 2 wow stops crashing any idea's? also what ip changer are you using?

 

[FearPlex]

Defo wouldn't limit the it to a core per instance - your physical machine has more than enough CPU to allow the VM's to pool from it.

Will get an increase in speed as bots required CPU power will fluctuate - with 1 core per instance, YOU set the limit. However, with the VM's pooling from the physical CPU, they will only take what's required. IE, a bot working a heavy workload will be able to use some power from a bot working a non-heavy load.

That's how I'd do it - Diploma in Computer Networking with CCNA, CCNP, EMC, VMWare, Backup & Recovery, and Amazon AWS / Cloud Services specialization.

Hope everything works out - and please keep atleast me updated. Love seeing peoples VM / Cloud setups.

 

[ltbaron]

Defo wouldn't limit the it to a core per instance - your physical machine has more than enough CPU to allow the VM's to pool from it.

Will get an increase in speed as bots required CPU power will fluctuate - with 1 core per instance, YOU set the limit. However, with the VM's pooling from the physical CPU, they will only take what's required. IE, a bot working a heavy workload will be able to use some power from a bot working a non-heavy load.

That's how I'd do it - Diploma in Computer Networking with CCNA, CCNP, EMC, VMWare, Backup & Recovery, and Amazon AWS / Cloud Services specialization.

Hope everything works out - and please keep atleast me updated. Love seeing peoples VM / Cloud setups.

Thanks man, so I should keep maximum cpu settings in all vm? 2 cores and 4 processors/ core? I've tried this couldnt load 9 windows 8.1 at a single time because pc just freeze in 100% cpu load. I used to run same 9 vm with 1 core 1 gig ram duno what happened but now when I close hb wow crash if lower then 2 cores/vm assigned

 

[namednoob]

Thanks man, so I should keep maximum cpu settings in all vm? 2 cores and 4 processors/ core? I've tried this couldnt load 9 windows 8.1 at a single time because pc just freeze in 100% cpu load. I used to run same 9 vm with 1 core 1 gig ram duno what happened but now when I close hb wow crash if lower then 2 cores/vm assigned

You don't have 4 processors, i7 is a single processor with 4 cores and 8 threads and you need at least 15 fps each to make it run smoothly

 

[ltbaron]

You don't have 4 processors, i7 is a single processor with 4 cores and 8 threads and you need at least 15 fps each to make it run smoothly

You mean I should keep 15 fps at anytime to make honorbuddy run smooth? So what are the best settings for vmware and operating system to bot on?