Hardware Requirements

[somebodyelse1]

Some advise please.

We have just implemented a Metaframe XPe system with the following hardware:

3 x Dell Poweredge 1750. Two servers have

2gb memory
three 36GB SCSI ultra 4 drives
Dual 2.4gb processors
RAID 5 (raid on motherboard)

The 3rd server

512 memory (soon to be 2gb)
two 36GB SCSI ultra 4 drives
Dual 2.4gb processors
RAID 5 (raid on motherboard)

Around 150 users are expected to be migrated to this server farm. Is the current spec adequate, and roughly how many users can a per processor handle?

PS: I've been reading various PDF files on Citrix's website, but their recommendations appear to be a bit vague.

 

[ascotta]

I would say you are 2 dual servers short of the farm. Ahem excuse the insult.

That way you would have 10 processors and allow 200 - 230 users on the farm AND allow one of your servers to die whilst still dealing with all your users



Cheers
Scott

 

[somebodyelse1]

So that's 20 'Typical users' per processor?

 

[CitrixEngineer]

You need to do some benchmarking to find out - it is not possible to give a "catch-all" figure of how many users can a single CPU handle with (x) amount of RAM, etc. without knowing something of the applications, the combination of applications and the way the users use the applications.

A pilot study with a single server and a selected group of about 10 "guinea-pigs" should reveal many limitations of your proposed setup.

The simple steps are;

1. Build server 1.
2. Measure CPU and memory use while idle.
3. Measure CPU and memory use as you log on as a user and use some of the apps in a "normal" way - ie just use it for work.
4. Get one user from the group who will be using the farm to work exclusively using the server - and measure that.
5. Get 10 users to do the same thing.

You will now have a good set of records which will indicate trends. I would recommend following up the initial pilot by adding a similar sized group, monitoring all the time - then adding more groups until server 1 shows signs of peaking - CPU frequently above 80%, memory use frequently above 80% as a guideline.

I agree with ascotta - you'll probably find it's about 20 users per processor.

 

[ascotta]

If you have a quick scan through posts here you will find there is no hard and fast rule. It all depends on what applications are running and how much the users actually use them. There is a difference for example in having an application open and actually using it....


If I was you I would basline the servers and then add a user at a time to build up a more reliable picture of what is happening. Then you wshould scale it up then.

My experience tells me that between 15 and 25 users per processor should be good enough. Disk space should not be an issue as there should be no volatile data on a Citrix server. RAM again as much as you can afford.
NICs , you might employ teaming to get a simple failover on them.


Cheers
Scott