I have a dilemma. I'm about to move my dedicated web server and run it locally. I would like to run it on my existing kvm virtualization server so I don't have to power another machine, but I'm worried about reliability. there are times when I have to take down the kvm server to reinstall the os when something goes horribly wrong. this can be a time consuming task, and I can't risk having the web server down for extended lengths of time like that.

here's an idea I had to solve my problem, but I'm not sure if it will work as intended. the storage drives for the kvm server are connected to the back of the system with esata cables, so I can easily swap or move drives. if I set the web servers virtual machine to have direct and exclusive access to a hard drive, would I be able to shut down the system and move that hard drive to a dedicated server and boot it back up without any other changes to it?

If your dedicated web server is stable and "mission critical" then you really should be running it on dedicated hardware or at least a very stable virtualisation platform that you won't be touching. Saying that, you SHOULD be able to do the scenario you mention but I would suggest that you test, test, test before you decomission your existing web server and attempt to move.

ok, thanks. I think I can do this. just have to finish getting some hardware together. not sure what hard drive to use yet, or what dedicated system I'll use. right now, I'm thinking, spend the next month setting it up on the virtual host and work the bugs out.

on a side note, got the commercial cable modem installed today. pretty nice. still waiting on the static ip's to be set up, but the modem actually supports gigabit and it's the first time I've ever gotten the actual speed I pay for. I'm paying for 8/2 and I can actually download at around 1000kbs and upload at 250kbs. pretty nice difference from residential internet.

That's not bad, I'm currently looking at residential fibre and that should be giving me 100/7