Oracle database capacity sizing for WAN usage?

[Mott Given]

I have an Oracle database application running on HP-UX v11.0 that will be run at a single location to support customers all over the U.S. I'm not very familiar with the network aspects of capacity planning and wonder what metrics and factors I should consider in deciding whether to locate the database on a server in Columbus, Ohio, in Richmond, or in Philadelphia?

Mott Given, mgiven@dsdc.dla.mil DSN 850-9431

[Tim Krego_1]

What kind of connections and number of offices will need to connect? The amount of $$$ you have to spend will determine where to locate the server.

We had our K460/Oracle8i box at our office connected to a single T1. For redundancy we wanted to run BGP4 but that would be very expensive for us.

Our server is now located it an ISP in town that has multiple POPs to the Internet.

Can you tell me a little more about your setup/application?

[A. Clay Stephenson · Accepted solution]

Hi Mott:

We need to know a bit more about your applicattion and its architechture. There are basically 3 models.

1) the database and application are on the same server and clients connect to them.

2) A database server, an application server, and clients

3) A database server with thick clients that are also the application.

In most cases the traffic between the database server and the application server is by far the heaviest. If those are separated by a WAN connection then you need a very fat pipe.

If each client has to pull raw database data and then process it locally that too requires very fat pipes.

One model that works very well (and I assume PC clients enter into this at some point)
is a database server and an application server connected to a Citrix winframe. The PC clients then connect as a very thin service to the Citrix server. All the heavy traffic takes place within the data center.

Let us know a few more details and I think someone can help.

REgards, Clay

[Paul R. Dittrich]

We use a central Oracle database to support Oracle Human Resources Management System to all of our North American sites. Clients connect via Web browser, using the Oracle Java Initiator.
If this scenario matches your situation, think of it as setting up central web server(s) for the expected number of simultaneous connections and size your links for that.

[Mott Given]

Thanks for the replies. The application is on one UNIX host and the Oracle DB is on another UNIX host at the same geographical location.The customers are using PCs so I guess that would make them thick clients. The customers are using the web to communicate with 2 Windows 2000 Advanced Server boxes running Microsoft IIS.

[Christopher Caldwell]

Clay is right on the money with the idea of Citrix or a look-alike. I've found that many thick client apps that run wonderfully on a LAN are pathetically unusable on a WAN. When you press the software vendor for sizes of WAN pipes, they make unrealistic recommendations like "how about a T3 at every location".

Because of latency issues and sqlnet behavior, if we're writing a custom app, we try to run the query server side (bypass sqlnet over the network) and use the client as essentially a screen painter.

Citrix allows you to get that same effect with someone elses software.

[malki_2]

If you want that the server will be retachable from all the site that yo have given and without late you muste to know
1- How many user were using the server on each site
2-The link to your site will be just used for this server or ther's another applicaton more.
3-On the end level, the user use a direc access via sql or ther's any application throught it the user go to a server
...
After you can determine what architecture you can use
You must not forget if ther's any evolution for WAN connecting or for this server