What server setup should I use for 200+ tcp connections?

[Tony Walker]

Hi guys,

Basically, I need some advise/pointers on the following question:

I need a server configuration that will be supporting 200+ constant TCP connections. The choice is between either 6xA500's (30ish connections each) or 2xlow spec'd L class servers (100 ish each).

Could anyone out there please provide any input on what setup would be best?

Thanks in advance.

Tony

[Patrick Wallek]

More details please! What type of applications? What type of TCP connections (telnet, sql, web, etc.)? 200 connections is not a lot. That can generally be handled by a single box. But to say for sure, we really need a lot more detail on what you will be running.

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi Tony:

The number of tcp connections is essentially unimportant. What is important are are the numbers and types of applications that will be running and are these character based or GUI and what are the memory requirements of each application. Just as an example, I am pulling over 400 users in a fairly intensive ERP environment with a 3-way K580 and it handles the load very easily. In many case, 200 users is nothing even for a small unix box on the other hand 3 users doing an engineering analysis can bring a heavy-duty box to its knees.

[Tony Walker]

Unfortunately I have limited information myself. All I know at the moment is that data will come in and be converted into a TCP socket connection. Also the volume of data has not been determined yet. General comments would be helpful and in the meantime I'll try to get more info...

[Jeff Machols]

One thing to consider is the L class has more expandability (if thats a word). But we have over 300 connections on our L class, that hardly takes up an resources compared to DB's, applications, openview, etc..

[Bill Hassell · Accepted solution]

As mentioned, the L-class provides more I/O expandability. However, an single A-class will handle thousands of TCP connections just fine.

That being said, now you must insist on more information. If your TCP connections sends or receives data a few times a day, then you can bump up to 10's of thousands of connections using a single A-series.

If your TCP connections send gigabytes of data per hour all day long, then your connections may be limited to a dozen or less--unless performance is no issue (hours to transfer a few megs for instance). If performance is an issue, then you must determine that the size of the network is adequate (do you need 4 or 12 LAN connections and do you have auto-port aggregation available).

And how many peripheral devices will be needed? (CDROM, tape, disks, LAN cards)

In other words, you've been given useless specs in hopes that some magic formula will work. These connections might be fat clients which download massive data, process it and return massive data, or thin clients where little data is transferred (like an interactive shell prompt).

An analogy is to be given a spec for a vehicle that must support red paint. So is a Cadillac, a HumVee, a 747 airplane or a scooter the correct choice?

[Tony Walker]

Thanks for all your replies people. With this sort of info I can go back and grill those apps boys for full (and specific) details.

Tony