Good machine setup for multi platform admin
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As part of next year budget, I got an approval for around $4000 machine and is given an option to choose between a Macbook Pro and a Windows machine (Lenovo brand of my choice of configuration, after so many years, lucky me to get that freedom of choice!)
For past 3 years I've been using a MACbook Pro with an upgrade to 512GB SSD+16GB RAM but during these times, my major area of work was on Linux servers, bit of AD management on Windows via RDP and MAC server management. So MAC would be an ideal choice.
Since by this year end, I am also expanding my expertise and going to support the Sharepoint dev team, I am on 50-50 for a MAC/Windows. Main advantage for me using a MAC is "I am in love with the terminal". But considering the fact that I have to learn Sharepoint, currently installed Parallels for MAC and Windows 8 on it, so need to share my MAC RAM between these two and then for my lab, I have windows 2012 server as boot camp dual boot to setup small server instances.
Next year, if I am going on the windows route (I am seriously considering it), I could use Putty for linux, VMs on HyperV windows 8.1 for SP tests. One issue is I need to have always 2 machine instances as most times I will be connected to 2 different ASA VPNs for managing server/site updates (This cannot be changes as one is our hosting environment and another we manage on behalf of the client). That was also the reason why I had windows 8 on my mac in parallels.
Our basic dev machines are now the new Lenovo W540 with 32GB RAM and 512 SSD. I am also thinking of getting this, much faster than the mac for sure!
Now what I am looking at is to decide on the second OS I need for the ASA VPN. Thinking of installing a linux OS on HyperV but not sure which one. Main thing is support for ASA. May be fedora?
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@ambarishrh Super jealous of your funding there! If it were my $$$$ I'd get myself a nice Cleo or Sager or other custom setup. You can get just an insane machine for that money. http://www.xoticpc.com/
