Hi, I'm trying to set up a server for my small office. We have 4 employees who need a cloud-like system and file server. I want to set up Citrix XenServer and allow each of us to login to a Windows virtual desktop. I'm not 100% set on Citrix, if there is a better alternative I'll check it out.

We want to be able to run some heavy software off the server like GIS and AutoCad. We also want to be able to access the virtual desktop from home as well as files. It needs to be fairly easy for the end user since some of my co-workers are not that savvy.


We recently aquired a rack of 4 Sunfire X4100 Servers.

Here's the specs:
4 x machines have a Dual Core Opteron 2.8 GHz 2220SE Processor
All machines have 4.0GB DDR2-667 Memory
All machines have Dual(2) 146GB 10,000 RPM Hard Drives-Hot swappable,2.5" SAS internal
discs,RAID 0,1 onboard

Here's a photo of the Server


This is my first time setting up this kind of server. I have a few questions.

Should I cluster the blades into one server? If so, what kind of cluster?

Should I install XenServer on each individual blade and run them independently? Any other advice?

Thanks

Can you download and install Ubuntu Server, then install the X Window System and fluxbox for that, and slap on top of that VirtualBox, and a legal copy of Windows that will efficiently run the software?

Then, from here, if all this is possible for you, you could have VirtualBox autostart on all the machines with Windows and fluxbox, to allow the users to effectively run their programs.

This is only a recommendation. I've never set up a server.

Thanks but that's not quite what I am looking for. It would work to some extent but I want something closer to a citrix server.