Microsoft
has added significant performance and scaling
capabilities with Exchange Version 5.5. Those
improvements directly benefit the entire family
of DIGITAL Server systems. Some of the new
features built into Exchange Version 5.5 that
underscore the new mission critical potential
are:
- Increased
size of the data store from 16 gigabytes
under Version 5.0 to virtually no limit
for the "Enterprise" Edition of
Exchange Version 5.5.
- Support
for clustered system for high levels of
availability. The increased data store
and support for Exchange failover require
the purchase of Windows NT Enterprise
Edition that includes support for
Microsoft Cluster Server.
- Improved
utilization of symmetric multiprocessor
capabilities.
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- General
server performance improvements.
Testing of
Exchange Version 5.5 software on DIGITAL Server
platforms demonstrated significant improvements
in the scalability of the Exchange Server
software across multiple processors (increased
scaling when moving from 1 to 2 processors, and
particularly from 2 to 4 processors) as compared
to Exchange Version 5.0. The following graph
shows the number of LOADSIM Medium Workload users1
that each of the systems can support.
When compared with
Exchange Version 5.0, performance increased by
50% across the board on systems with the same
number of CPUs. The largest improvement can be
found in symmetric multiprocessing scalability
performance. Those systems have seen performance
improvements at rates of as much as 100%.
The first way to
take advantage of all this new system power is to
look at server consolidation. Independent
research has shown that when an Information
Technology manager is able to deploy fewer
servers to support the mail users in the company,
significant cost-of-ownership savings are
generated. The decreased cost is a direct result
of the need for fewer systems, less floor space,
fewer network connections, fewer support and
maintenance resources, and fewer administrative
and management resources.
The second way
that extra headroom could be utilized is in
handling the increased workload that users put on
their mail infrastructure. User trends in e-mail
to attach more and larger presentation materials,
documents, spreadsheets, and so on are likely to
continue. Therefore, demands on the mail
infrastructure will continue to grow even as the
number of users may remain relatively stable. The
DIGITAL Server systems give you the extra
processing power to cope with increased workloads
and an ability to store large amounts of data.
The third way to
use this power is to add applications to the mail
server that are integrated with Exchange.
Microsoft, DIGITAL and many ISVs (Independent
Software Vendors) have applications and tools
that can be used with Exchange to increase
end-user functionality. Applications that are
commonly integrated include: Voice/PBX
integration, Fax integration, Document
management, Workflow, Archiving, and
Collaborative Computing (groupware
functionality).
Finally, the new
failover clustering support in Exchange Version
5.5 Enterprise Edition allows for
high-availability implementations for the mail
infrastructure. With DIGITALs experience in
mission-critical enterprise solutions, Exchange
Version 5.5 is clearly leveraging the opportunity
to be able to operate in such environments. With
support for high-availability solutions, you can
lower costs even more with fewer downtime
incidents, shorter downtime, less system
management/administration costs, and fewer
message delays.
The mission
critical nature of a Mail and Messaging
infrastructure makes the DIGITAL Server family of
systems an ideal candidate for running a
cost-effective clustered solution. Exchange
Version 5.5 is clearly designed to benefit from
the specific characteristics that large,
multiprocessor systems can now offer. DIGITAL is
continuing to prove, through superior designs and
implementations, that the DIGITAL Server family
of systems is the platform of choice for
deployment in a wide range of computing
environments.
Users |
System
|
Memory*
|
Total Disks
|
3800
|
DIGITAL Server 3200
(1 CPU) |
380 MB
|
15
|
4000
|
DIGITAL Server 5200
(1 CPU) |
400 MB
|
16
|
5500
|
DIGITAL Server 3200
(2 CPU) |
550 MB
|
22
|
5600
|
DIGITAL Server 5305
(1 CPU) |
560 MB
|
22
|
5600
|
DIGITAL Server 7305
(1 CPU) |
560 MB
|
22
|
5800
|
DIGITAL Server 5200
(2 CPU) |
580 MB
|
23
|
8300
|
DIGITAL Server 7105
(2 CPU) |
830 MB
|
38
|
10800
|
DIGITAL Server 7105
(4 CPU) |
1 GB
|
45
|
8500
|
DIGITAL Server 5305
(2 CPU) |
850 MB
|
38
|
8500
|
DIGITAL Server 7305
(2 CPU) |
850 MB
|
38
|
11500
|
DIGITAL Server 7305
(4 CPU) |
1150 MB
|
45
|
*Amount of memory
to be set in the Exchange optimizer. |
1 Using
Microsoft defined "medium" LOADSIM test
criteria. All default settings were accepted and
no changes were made before or during the
eight-hour test. Successful test criteria are
defined by Microsoft: 95th Percentile
response times below one second; Send and Work
Queues empty by end of testing; and, no MAPI
errors. In general, figure 100 kilobytes of
memory per user and 250 to 300 users per disk.
DIGITAL, DIGITAL
Server, Alpha, the DIGITAL logo, and the
AlphaGeneration logo are trademarks of Digital
Equipment Corporation. Windows, Windows NT,
Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft are all
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of
Intel Corporation. DIGITAL believes the
information in this publication is accurate as of
its publication date; such information is subject
to change without notice. DIGITAL is not
responsible for any inadvertent errors. DIGITAL
conducts its business in a manner that conserves
the environment and protects the safety and
health of its employees, customers, and the
community.
|