Project Deployment

[Rahmon]

Hello guys,

I am about to deploy a project that will accomodate a minimum of 4000 hits at any point in time from the internet. People are expected to save to an Oracle database and place images on a web server(Both servers are runing Linux). In other words, we are talking of 2 different servers; A db server and web server.

As a result, I have some issues to be considered and will appreciate if you guys can assist.

The issues:

a. What type of server specifications should I be looking at? The RAM, processors speed and number for each machine?

b. Will it be advisable for me to allow saving of images into the oracle database(using blob)? If yes, what are the downsides? or are there none?

Will appreciate your responses.

Regards.

[Roger Ramjet]

Basic answer to b. is no. Do not watse time saving the image files in the db. They are going to end up being served up by a web server anyway, so just save the file on the webserver and put the file name into the db; you then just extract the name into the html stream. Keeps your db from rapidly growing massive and reduces the traffic between your db server and web server.

Where are you going to host it? The available badwidth is more likely to limit your performance than the server specs.

[Rahmon]

Roger,

Thanks a lot. Your professional response is well appreciated.

Talking about the server spec., what it is the minimum you could recommend, with the assumption that I have enough bandwith for the project?

Expectiing to hear from you soonest.

Regards.

[Roger Ramjet]

Well, Sun do an entry-level server that benchmarks out at 2500 simultaneous connections, probably be enough. Really depends upon the file sizes involved = number of TCP packets to transmit. They also do a range of dedicated web servers that a lot of ISPs and Web Hosts use. Come pre-configured with Linux, Apache and Site Admin/Mail Admin in Firmware. Each one will hosts about 60 domains/sites very comfortably. My ISP will rent me a whole one for £100+ per month.

You really need to calculate how many files per minute you need to deliver and what that breaks down in Gb.p.m for disk access and interface transmission. Then speak to several suppliers eg Sun, Dell, IBM. See what they calculate you will need to support the calculated traffic.

If the real traffic will be high then a cluster of lower spec web servers may be the answer.

DB server, any £1000 server with fast SCSI, dual processors and .5-1Gb RAM will do. Your 4000 concurrent users will probably only break down into 400 db transactions a minute. If it is mission critical then hot-swap RAID will treble the price. Again, a server cluster may be the answer.

Without real volume projections, my first instinct is the clusters. Entry-level servers are so cheap (Dell are doing Poweredge starters for $500) that you can just keep adding them to the cluster as traffic dictates. Start with 1 each and benchmark it. Again, with those results your chosen supplier will be able to tell you how many more you will need to cope.

[Rahmon]

Roger,

Thanx a million!!!!

You've actually solved my problem with that spectacular brief.

Regards and God bless.