Server Spec for 100 TS users

Hodders

Hodders

Hodders

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We want to put together a server to allow max 100 users to RDP in and run office 2007 although this will probably be only about 50 concurrent.

What kind of spec are we talking here. I would imagine that disk access and RAM are going to be key as well as making sure that we have a couple of fast quad core CPUs.

So lets say Raid 1 pair for OS, plus a 8 disk Raid 6 for the user data - will that even touch the sides ?

Can this be done on a single server or should we split it across two ?
 
RAM is the big thing in a Terminal Server, really as much as you can afford. For 50+ concurrent users I'd maybe think about two servers to share the load, otherwise I'd be thinking at least 16GB in one server, preferably 32GB.

If you want disk performance (and you do to an extent), keep well clear of RAID5 or RAID6, you'll killing performance by using them. It's great for maximising capacity on the cheap but when you have real performance requirements RAID10 is king. Then again you shouldn't need much capacity here as I'd assume users profiles and documents were on a file server not the TS server?
 
bigredshark said:
keep well clear of RAID5 or RAID6, you'll killing performance by using them. It's great for maximising capacity on the cheap but when you have real performance requirements RAID10 is king.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I don't touch raid5 unless I really have to, or it's really low i/o storage.
 
The caveat of course is if you have high performance controllers and vast numbers of spindles, Netapp's RAID DP (which is RAID6 if you ignore their marketing) performs better than I expected...
 
We are thinking now of a Dell 2 socket (2 x quad core Xeons 2.4GHZ 6MB Cache) 2U server with 64GB ram running server 08 with Terminal Services 08. Would a 4 socket server make that much difference ?

Disks would be via a Dell MD3000 DAS box with 8 400GB 15kSAS drives (+ hot spare) configured as a whopping raid 10 array (basically a mirrored 4 disk stripe set).

Filestorage will be on a fileserver with small local profiles.

Any opinions ?
 
Hodders said:
We are thinking now of a 2 socket (2 x quad core Xeons 2.4GHZ 6MB Cache) 2U server with 64GB ram running server 08 with Terminal Services 08. Would a 4 socket server make that much difference ?

Disks would be via a MD3000 DAS box with 8 400GB 15kSAS drives (+ hot spare) configured as a whopping raid 10 array (basically a mirrored 4 disk stripe set).

Any opinions ?
Click to expand...

If you're spending that kind of cash then I'd shell out for the upgrade potential of a 4 socket box, even if you don't use it initially. Also you might have problems getting 64GB in a two socket box, my recollection is you can on a HP DL380 G5 but you need wickedly expensive 8GB FBDIMMS (could be only 32GB max though, you'd need to check). A 4 socket box will have more memory slots generally so it'll be easier.

I think you may be overdoing the disks unless you're keeping users profiles/files locally rather than on a file server. An 8 disk RAID10 should be easily fine for it otherwise. Just make sure you use a decent controller, no point putting so many expensive disks on a £400 controller, get something decent!
 
I've just spoken with my Dell Account Manager they are currently doing a Buy one get one free on Dell 2950's. Might be valuable to you. :)

Hodders said:
We are thinking now of a Dell 2 socket (2 x quad core Xeons 2.4GHZ 6MB Cache) 2U server with 64GB ram running server 08 with Terminal Services 08. Would a 4 socket server make that much difference ?

Disks would be via a Dell MD3000 DAS box with 8 400GB 15kSAS drives (+ hot spare) configured as a whopping raid 10 array (basically a mirrored 4 disk stripe set).

Filestorage will be on a fileserver with small local profiles.

Any opinions ?
Click to expand...
 
Good grief there are some strange suggestions in here

Your running office on TS no LOB apps?

Quad Processor boxes don't scale that well for TS and dumping 100s of users onto a single box is also asking for trouble.

I'd suggest that you do the following

Buy a pair of 2 x Quad Cpu 16GB, pair of 72GB SAS disk mirrored for OS/Apps running 64bit 2008
Buy a dedicated file server 1 x Dual/Quad CPU, 4GB Ram and put in DAS drives and use either RAID5/6 or if you insist RAID 10 but remember this is a file server for 50-100 users not a high transactional throughput SQL or Exchange system.

Don't forget to buy your TS CALS and backup solution. Each box is going to be about the 5K mark and with the Session Broker features of TS in 2008 would provide you some load balancing.

Steve
 
Bit disappointed by that offer, £3049 for a 'low' spec 2950! The server itself is double price already. I reckon it'd retail for around ~£1650.

A couple of weeks ago I spec'd up a 2950 with 2 x Quad Xeons, 16GB RAM and 6 x 146GB 15k Disks, that came in around the £2500 mark, albeit there was a 'save £500' offer on at the time, so in essence it was about £3000 worth of server, far superior to the spec of that £3049 2950 that's on 'offer'!.

Do Dell think people are stupid?
 
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