daneppich
Active Member
I am planning to add an NT Application Server to an existing AS400 Enterprise server environment for XE. I am curious as to your opinions on sizing that Logic Server.
Tom_Davidson
VIP Member
Dan,
We tried this and discovered that our network connection was the limiting factor for performance on our app server. I would recommend any good fast server, with plenty of RAM, and the fastest network connection you can buy, including ganging network (etherchannel) cards together to increase throughput.
For what it's worth we decided to work on multi-threading UBE's on our AS/400 instead. Currently we run 5-20 concurrent UBE's 7X24.
If you are thinking of using the app server to run business functions, I would recommend that BSFN's that have a low I/O-high CPU be your first canidates for moving to the app server. Mostly because it is very hard to beat the BUS speed of moving data to where it can be used.
Just one persons opinion.
Tom Davidson
We tried this and discovered that our network connection was the limiting factor for performance on our app server. I would recommend any good fast server, with plenty of RAM, and the fastest network connection you can buy, including ganging network (etherchannel) cards together to increase throughput.
For what it's worth we decided to work on multi-threading UBE's on our AS/400 instead. Currently we run 5-20 concurrent UBE's 7X24.
If you are thinking of using the app server to run business functions, I would recommend that BSFN's that have a low I/O-high CPU be your first canidates for moving to the app server. Mostly because it is very hard to beat the BUS speed of moving data to where it can be used.
Just one persons opinion.
Tom Davidson
daneppich
Active Member
Tom,
Thanks for your reply. Our short term goal is just to take 1 or two UBE threads off the 400 to buy us some time since our 400 was recently purchased and is now undersized for the number of UBE’s hitting it on peak days. I was hoping that if I put this box on the same switch as the ES, I may be able to keep interactive performance up which is my main concern, and buy some time until I can get the upgrade approved.
Thanks for your reply. Our short term goal is just to take 1 or two UBE threads off the 400 to buy us some time since our 400 was recently purchased and is now undersized for the number of UBE’s hitting it on peak days. I was hoping that if I put this box on the same switch as the ES, I may be able to keep interactive performance up which is my main concern, and buy some time until I can get the upgrade approved.
altquark
Legendary Poster
Hi Dan
Looking on the internet, the following server works extremely well :
(I chose DELL - though any similar branded spec machine would work fine)
Total price on Dell's website for this was $6,599 - extremely reasonable for a blistering fast machine.
some of the reasons for choosing several options :
1. Choose 2.8GHz processors - they're only 7-8% slower than the 3.06GHz processors but they're substantially cheaper ($600 cheaper all in all)
2. Choose 18GB, 15k RPM drives - providing a total drive volume of 36Gb under RAID 5. RAID 5 is fine for READING - and these drives would fly. You only require the standard pathcodes hence the lower volume requirements.
3. Choose 2Gb RAM - actually this might be undersized depending on what you are looking for. You need lots of memory if you want to run lots of kernels or runube's in parallel. This system can go to 3b for only $460 more.
4. Choose the ability to go from 100Mb Ethernet to a full gigabit connection - whether its copper or fibre. Fibre is fastest since latency is less. You will see a LOT of network traffic between any application server and the Database Server. Remember, your AS400 might not have the capability of having Gigabit until the 8xx series.
Hope that helps !!!
Jon Steel
erpSOURCING LLC
http://www.erpsourcing.com
Catalog Number Description Product Code SKU
PowerEdge 2650: PowerEdge 2650, Intel Xeon 2.8GHz, 512K Cache, 533MHz Front Side Bus 265285 [221-2654]
Additional Processors: 2nd Processor, Xeon, 2.8GHz, 512K Cache, 533MHz Front Side Bus 2P285 [311-2724]
Memory: 2.0GB DDR, 4X512 DIMMS 2GB4D [311-2733]
Keyboard: No Keyboard Option N [310-3281]
Monitor: No Monitor Option N [320-0058]
First Hard Drive: 18GB 15K RPM Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive 18GB153 [340-8723]
Primary Controller: PERC3-DI, 128MB Battery Backed Cache, 2 Internal Ch- Embedded RAID ROMB128 [340-3943]
Diskette Drive: 1.44MB Diskette Drive FD [340-3961]
OPERATING SYSTEM: No Factory Installed Operating System NOOS/W2 [420-5100][310-1261]
Mouse: No Mouse Option N [310-0024]
First Network Adapter: Dual On-Board NICS OBNICS [430-8991]
CD ROM or DVD ROM: 24X IDE Internal CD ROM Drive CD24X [313-0317]
Bezel: Active Bezel Option for Dell PowerEdge 2650 BEZEL [310-1487]
Hard Drive Backplane: 5 Bay (1x5) Hot Plug SCSI Hard Drive Backplane 1X5BKPL [340-3932]
Documentation: Users Manual,Installation and Trouble Shooting Guide on CD EDOCS [310-1989]
Second Hard Drive: 18GB 15K RPM Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive 18GB153 [340-8723]
Hard Drive Configuration: On-Board RAID 5, 3 to 5 drives connected to on-board RAID MR5 [340-3946]
Chassis Configuration: RapidRails for Dell Rack RPDRAIL [310-1482]
Hardware Support Services: 3Yr GOLD Support, 4Hr Onsite, S/W Support, TAM Service GOLD4U [950-0117][950-0138][960-3029][960-4130][970-0237][960-4132][310-3785]
Installation Support Services: No Installation NOINSTL [900-9997]
Power Supplies: Redundant AC Power (2x500 Watt Power Supplies) REDPWR [310-4324]
Second Network Adapter: Intel Pro 1000XT Gigabit NIC-Copper IN1000T [430-0375]
Third Hard Drive: 18GB 15K RPM Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive 18GB153 [340-8723]
Cluster Status: INFO,NO CLUSTER,STANDALONE NOCLUS [461-1306]
Looking on the internet, the following server works extremely well :
(I chose DELL - though any similar branded spec machine would work fine)
Total price on Dell's website for this was $6,599 - extremely reasonable for a blistering fast machine.
some of the reasons for choosing several options :
1. Choose 2.8GHz processors - they're only 7-8% slower than the 3.06GHz processors but they're substantially cheaper ($600 cheaper all in all)
2. Choose 18GB, 15k RPM drives - providing a total drive volume of 36Gb under RAID 5. RAID 5 is fine for READING - and these drives would fly. You only require the standard pathcodes hence the lower volume requirements.
3. Choose 2Gb RAM - actually this might be undersized depending on what you are looking for. You need lots of memory if you want to run lots of kernels or runube's in parallel. This system can go to 3b for only $460 more.
4. Choose the ability to go from 100Mb Ethernet to a full gigabit connection - whether its copper or fibre. Fibre is fastest since latency is less. You will see a LOT of network traffic between any application server and the Database Server. Remember, your AS400 might not have the capability of having Gigabit until the 8xx series.
Hope that helps !!!
Jon Steel
erpSOURCING LLC
http://www.erpsourcing.com
Catalog Number Description Product Code SKU
PowerEdge 2650: PowerEdge 2650, Intel Xeon 2.8GHz, 512K Cache, 533MHz Front Side Bus 265285 [221-2654]
Additional Processors: 2nd Processor, Xeon, 2.8GHz, 512K Cache, 533MHz Front Side Bus 2P285 [311-2724]
Memory: 2.0GB DDR, 4X512 DIMMS 2GB4D [311-2733]
Keyboard: No Keyboard Option N [310-3281]
Monitor: No Monitor Option N [320-0058]
First Hard Drive: 18GB 15K RPM Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive 18GB153 [340-8723]
Primary Controller: PERC3-DI, 128MB Battery Backed Cache, 2 Internal Ch- Embedded RAID ROMB128 [340-3943]
Diskette Drive: 1.44MB Diskette Drive FD [340-3961]
OPERATING SYSTEM: No Factory Installed Operating System NOOS/W2 [420-5100][310-1261]
Mouse: No Mouse Option N [310-0024]
First Network Adapter: Dual On-Board NICS OBNICS [430-8991]
CD ROM or DVD ROM: 24X IDE Internal CD ROM Drive CD24X [313-0317]
Bezel: Active Bezel Option for Dell PowerEdge 2650 BEZEL [310-1487]
Hard Drive Backplane: 5 Bay (1x5) Hot Plug SCSI Hard Drive Backplane 1X5BKPL [340-3932]
Documentation: Users Manual,Installation and Trouble Shooting Guide on CD EDOCS [310-1989]
Second Hard Drive: 18GB 15K RPM Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive 18GB153 [340-8723]
Hard Drive Configuration: On-Board RAID 5, 3 to 5 drives connected to on-board RAID MR5 [340-3946]
Chassis Configuration: RapidRails for Dell Rack RPDRAIL [310-1482]
Hardware Support Services: 3Yr GOLD Support, 4Hr Onsite, S/W Support, TAM Service GOLD4U [950-0117][950-0138][960-3029][960-4130][970-0237][960-4132][310-3785]
Installation Support Services: No Installation NOINSTL [900-9997]
Power Supplies: Redundant AC Power (2x500 Watt Power Supplies) REDPWR [310-4324]
Second Network Adapter: Intel Pro 1000XT Gigabit NIC-Copper IN1000T [430-0375]
Third Hard Drive: 18GB 15K RPM Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive 18GB153 [340-8723]
Cluster Status: INFO,NO CLUSTER,STANDALONE NOCLUS [461-1306]
gary_mogilner
Member
We added 2 Intel app servers to our as/400 720 and were also concerned =
about
the interactive performance. When UBEs were running on appservers we =
did
not notice any degradation in interactive performance. You may avoid a =
need
for app servers if you create a multi-threaded REPORT queue on the =
as/400
attach it to the subsystem with limited memory. That way it will not =
take
away much processing from interactive or QB7333. Change report =
versions to
run in REPORT queue. Leave QB7333 for updating jobs.
Gary
Xe XU3 SP18.1 / SP21, as/400 V4R5 w/CO, intel app servers, Citrix
about
the interactive performance. When UBEs were running on appservers we =
did
not notice any degradation in interactive performance. You may avoid a =
need
for app servers if you create a multi-threaded REPORT queue on the =
as/400
attach it to the subsystem with limited memory. That way it will not =
take
away much processing from interactive or QB7333. Change report =
versions to
run in REPORT queue. Leave QB7333 for updating jobs.
Gary
Xe XU3 SP18.1 / SP21, as/400 V4R5 w/CO, intel app servers, Citrix
