A simple question really, our server is a P4 3Ghz with 512Mb Ram, would increasing the memory have any perceivable impact on logon times when a class logs on? Would it benefit me at all? Just thinking about where to go next with improvements and that thought just popped into my head as they often do!
You need to monitor the performance of your server during these peak times. Use task manager as a basic guide or use some performance counters. 512 meg does not seem much. I am assuming server 2003? How many clients?
Not much. I would look at having 4gb+ for a PDC/FSMO ,but I would also guess that your harddives are pretty old and slow as well.What Os are you using ?
512MB RAM..on a server....you are kidding, arn't you? You're not!! Wow!
Yes, more RAM (3GB for 32bit systems and 4GB minimum for x64) for a start, GB NICs (if not already fitted) and a new server,becuase,by the sound of it, that one is well beyond it's sell by date.
We are a primary and its about 4/5 years old and the times comming up for replacement if there is any money as usual. Yes its 2003 with possibility of 60 approx being connected at any one time with a peak of about 30 (the suite connecting at once)...and yes I did say 512Mb and its a 100mb network. Did order 2Gb of extra memory but had to return it after it was incorrectly ordered this summer. Its a Fujitsu Siemens econnel 50 server and getting the correct memory seems difficult to identify the correct type. Had same problem when suppliers did a similar one at another school.
In one of the other schools I did upgrade to 2Gb and a new HD for more room, but that in some ways is worse as we are running out of space on the OS drive and some of the data areas!
Dos_box has a point about the nics but you will need to have a GB connections on the network switchs . I know a quite a few schools with older equipment that still have 100mb switchs/hubs (found one a few weeks ago that still has 10mb in one classroom). Are you using roaming or mandatory profiles for staff/students .We have pretty good network and servers but don't use profile limits and still get the "my computer take ages to login" only to find they have dumped 4/5 gb of photos on the desktop.
A lot of the fujitsu's where the old ddr memory .if it is the one I think it is, I have a box full in the cupbard that has been pulled from old servers.If you pm me your address I will send you some FOC.Is that the model with the IDE raid ? if you upgrade the harddrive it may be worth fitting a sata card and drives for extra speed. If you have access to the cash buy a new one. I've had some good dells on Dell t310 ,I think the last was just over 600 quid with 4gb 2x1gb card and 1tb raid.
How slow are login times at the moment out of interest?
More memory will certainly help to an extent but as above you'll quickly hit other bottle knecks. I'd look at buying an HP ML110 or ML115, they're entry level servers but even without adding any RAM etc they would be faster than what you have now.
Also the Crucial website has a "memory scanner" which should help you identify the correct ram.
We used the memory scanner but its not always accurate, especially for servers. It won't suggest any for one of the other schools NEC servers. All the switches are 100Mb, yes the profiles can be an issue, all children on mandatory and not bad logons, staff on roaming but that may be changed if they carry on as they are. Had logon problems on Wednesday only to find some teachers had dumped music/photos etc ending up with profiles of the 1.6Gb region!!!! Why is it so difficult for them to file stuff in their own user area!
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