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+---- Thread: Best standalone PC for a Active Directory server (/showthread.php?tid=6294188)
Best standalone PC for a Active Directory server - StaticCG - Mar 13, 2025
I am looking for a decent standalone server for running Windows Server. Should I build the server or is there any good options other than running a cloud AD like a prebuilt?
RE: Best standalone PC for a Active Directory server - Bastille - Mar 13, 2025
Why do you want to setup an AD server, to practice and learn ? Are your comfortable already or are you discovering ?
Why do you want to go with a standalone computer ? Did you consider running your server through an hyper visor like Proxmox or ESXi ? Running servers under VM is more convenient on many levels, like restoring virtual machines, hosting different servers on a single computer, and so on.
Otherwise, any computer with at least 1 core and 2GB of ram could be good, and 60GB of storage. Would be better with 2 cores and 4GB of RAM of course.
RE: Best standalone PC for a Active Directory server - StaticCG - Mar 13, 2025
(Mar 13, 2025 07:51 AM)Bastille Wrote: Why do you want to setup an AD server, to practice and learn ? Are your comfortable already or are you discovering ?
Why do you want to go with a standalone computer ? Did you consider running your server through an hyper visor like Proxmox or ESXi ? Running servers under VM is more convenient on many levels, like restoring virtual machines, hosting different servers on a single computer, and so on.
Otherwise, any computer with at least 1 core and 2GB of ram could be good, and 60GB of storage. Would be better with 2 cores and 4GB of RAM of course.
Planning on how I am going to be running our companies Active Directory server when we move to a new office. I actually am looking to run it via ESXi, but for the physical hardware, I don't know what would be a cost effective solution. Thanks for your detailed reply
RE: Best standalone PC for a Active Directory server - DramaKing - Mar 13, 2025
Active Directory itself won't take much resources, especially not for a homelab. Your biggest consideration will be a license. 😬