robust server specifications

LECTURE 12SERVER HARDWARE – OVERVIEW

SMALL SERVER SPECIFICATIONS

ROBUST SERVER SPECIFICATIONS

SERVER TERMINOLOGY

SAMPLE SERVER CONFIGURATIONS

CONCLUSION

MGT644 - Introduction to eCommerce 1

OVERVIEW

• Combination of hardware, operating system and software constitute a server

• Server is a computer system with permanent connection to internet and subsystems that protect against power outages, hackers and system crashes.

• Server performance plays important role in customer satisfaction and future scalability

• E-commerce websites can run on own servers or out-sourced to a hosting company.

• In both cases, its advisable to learn about necessary hardware requirements.


SMALL SERVER SPECIFICATIONS

• Server cost is main barrier to small businesses, with time hardware costs have reduced and difficulty to set up is minimized.

S E R V E R N E E D S• Normal server consists of:

• Hardware• Operating system• One or more pieces of software (web, email, application server)

• Security wise, web server should be stand alone• Depending on content and database connectivity, install as much

memory and hard drive as budget allows.• Server performance depends on CPU, ideally get as much

powerful CPU as possible.• Server should be equipped with UPS and Backup solutions.• e.g. server: 400Mhz CPU with 128MB RAM and 3GB Hard Drive is

sufficient enough to run a small static (brochure ware) web site.


ROBUST SERVER SPECIFICATION

“You can never have too much capacity”• Server configuration in a high traffic site is anyone’s “best

guess” as server does not only have to adapt evolving business, but also new technology.

• Demand for disk space, memory and CPU max outs faster than anyone can predict. Servers quickly expand beyond limit of single platform.

S E RV E R N E E D Se.g. dual CPU 1500MHz, 2 GB RAM or better, and SCSI Hard Drives with 10,000 RPM or better.


SERVER TERMINOLOGYP R O C E S S O R :

• CPU industry is highly competitive, as mentioned before consider fastest CPU that budget allows.

• Other factors that effect are:• Architecture (64-bit or 32-bit)• Cache levels (more cache, better)• Solution availability (motherboard chips available to support CPU)• Software support (Operating system support)• Cost (do I really have to tell about this as well?)

• Server class CPU manufacturers are plenty, like IBM, NEC, HP, SUN SPARC, AMD, Intel

• Two most competitive CPU manufacturers are Intel with Xeon and Itanium Processors and AMD with Opteron CPUs.



CPU Word Size Comparison Cache Illustration

Server Class CPU’s from Intel & AMD

C L U S T E R I N G :• Essentially multiple hardware work together to work as single

source using software, switches and routers.• This surpass limitations of a single hardware source.• Availability and reliability becomes greater.• Cluster also performs load balancing, distributing tasks among

different hardware depending on work load.• In extreme cases, software can automatically exclude failed

server and allocate tasks to working servers.• To network administrators, cluster appear as single server,

streamlining network management efforts.

MGT644 - Introduction to eCommerce 7Virginia Tech Apple MAC Super Computing Cluster

Facebook Server Farm

L O A D B A L A N C I N G S W I T C H E S A N D R O U T E R S :• Another load bearing solution, distributing traffic to group of servers

sharing load among them.• Early versions were design to support web traffic distributing traffic

to servers in sequence.• New versions distribute traffic according to load on each server. • Some balancers check to see if requested data is already residing

in server cache and direct traffic to that particular server making it easier and quicker to respond.

• In server farm configuration, servers can be either large and small in number or smaller and more in number, in either case balancing is either round robin or more sophisticated taking into account server load.

• Server farm is cheaper and easier to implement than cluster as servers aren't aware of each other, but only balancers, so no complex failover process in case of failure.

• Load balancing is cost-effective way to respond to growth without need to replace equipment every few months.


R A C K U N I T S :• Vertical shelving to mount servers• Free standing or bolted into wall or floors• Generally are 19” wide and hold rack

mountable computers with screw able faceplates

• Mounting servers helps with space problems and allows for ease of management

S E R V E R C A B I N E T S• Metal cabinet, housing rack-mounted

servers or as well tower configured servers.• Good cabinets have perforated front, rear

and top plating to allow efficient air-flow.• There is room for fans and blowers for

further cooling.


Rack Unit showing servers

Typical Rack Mount Server (Opened)

M U L T I P L E - C P U S E R V E R S• Multiple CPU unit is good choice for high-demand computing

environments. • Viable option for web sites that offer services as free emails,

streaming videos and chat rooms.• Choosing a multiple-CPU server should be taken into consideration

when future expansion is unsure.• Systems range from 2 to 16 CPU per server.• Another advantage of Multi-CPU servers is basic requirement of

Redundant PSU ensuring availability.

SAMPLE SERVER CONFIGURATIONS:Refer to Chapter 4: server hardware Complete E-Commerce Book: Janice Reynolds


CONCLUSION

• Web server can be simple hardware running few lines of code to complex enterprise level robust configuration.

• In hosting personal servers, best advice is to keep a balance in each hardware working in partnership with others segments.

• While database and application performance is important, size of web pages with graphics can impact performance.

• The key is to design everything as a system.• One cannot design web server without regard to database and

other applications.


robust server specifications

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