New Sims Server - A Few questions...

[siuko]

Right so we are having issues with our Sims server (when we change passwords or create new users it times out and stops

 

alot of users logging on until we dettach and reattach the database).

 

We have been told by our Sims support provider that our server is to slow / old and needs replacing to fix the issue.

 

We have a school with 1100 Students and 100 Staff. The staff use Sims for registration in their classes so maximum Sims

 

logins at the same time would be about 70+.

 

Present Server

 

Dell PowerEdge 4600

2 x Xeon 2.4Ghz

4Gb Ram

Windows 2000

SQL Server 2005 Express

No Raid Ultra320 SCSI HD's (With plenty of space)

 

So I am looking to purchase a new server, new os and new sql software and I have a few questions

 

1) Will this server spec be ok? The server will only be running Sims and the document server.

 

Dell PE T300 Quad Core Xeon X5460 (3.16GHz,2x6MB, 1333MHz FSB)

12GB DDR2 667MHz Memory - 1 CPU (6x2GB dual rank DIMMs)

C4 SAS/SATA cabled, RAID 1, Add-in SAS6iR Cntrl, 2 Hard Drives

SAS 6i/R Internal Controller RAID PCIe

146 GB SAS 15k 3.5" HD

 

2) Which OS?

 

Windows 2003 32 or 64Bit? Standard or Enterprise? With or Without HyperV?

Windows 2008 32 or 64Bit? Standard or Enterprise? With or Without HyperV?

 

(I'm guessing 64Bit to see the 12Gb of ram - will there be any issues running Sims on 64Bit?)

 

3) Which SQL Server Software?

 

Should I buy Single processor License of SQL Server 2008 and just use SQL Server 2005 until Sims switch to SQL2008

 

support soon which will then allow me switch quickly (I beleive the licensing allows backward use?)

 

Should I get the standard or enterprise version of SQL Server?

 

4) Licensing CALS?

 

If I have an SQL Server processor License will I still require Windows CALS for them to connect to the database?

 

Another Domain Controller will authenticate their permissions to the Sims Server.

The Sims SQL database will authenticate there access to sims itself.

 

Sorry for the long post... thanks for any help anyone can provide

[Hecate]

I can help with point 4: if you have a processor license you do not need additional CALS. When we were licensing 2005 I think the break even point was around 40 users below that the per seat license and CALS were a cheaper option.

 

As SIMS is moving to SQLServer 2008 from October this would be the obvious option to go for - by the time you're up and running migration will probably be under way

[matt40k]

Just heard of a school going Windows 2008 x64 with full MS SQL 2005 x64, lovely server. Works alright.

 

Make sure you get SQL 2008 with downgrade rights. SQL 2008 comes out in Oct, it seems alright, but it's aways good to wait a while.

 

CPU license isn't too bad if you have a 1 cpu system. I think it's like £20 per client otherwise.

 

Don't worry about dual cpu system, if it's a dedicated SIMS server, ram is king.

 

Is the LA\Capita installing it? If you're moving SIMS make sure you have the latest SIMSinst.

[siuko]

I can help with point 4: if you have a processor license you do not need additional CALS. When we were licensing 2005 I think the break even point was around 40 users below that the per seat license and CALS were a cheaper option.

 

As SIMS is moving to SQLServer 2008 from October this would be the obvious option to go for - by the time you're up and running migration will probably be under way

 

I understand about the Per Processor SQL Server software. (I will be purchasing the SQL 1 Processor License to remove the need for SQL CALS)

 

I was wondering whether I need Windows Server CALS for the clients to connect to the server to use the SIMS SQL database?

[siuko]

Is the LA\Capita installing it? If you're moving SIMS make sure you have the latest SIMSinst.

 

Hehe no the LEA isnt installing it... I wouldnt trust them to change a toner never mind install a server...

 

I'm just purchasing the system from Dell and doing everything else myself

[siuko]

Well scrap all that for the time being....

 

While researching the install of a new Sims server I read up on a few performance tweaks for Sims.

 

One related to the Reason 0 problem and the fact we were running SQL 2005 Express (limited to 1gb ram).

 

I just upgraded the server to SQL 2005 Standard (1 Processor License) and adjusted the bootin to allow applications 3Gb of memory and now I can create users and change passwords without timeouts and without it locking the database and cuasing Reason 0 Errors and lots of people not logging on.

 

Not as nice a fix as a new speedy server but it should hopefully last until BSF borgs take over

 

Thank you everyone for the help you posted.

 

PS.(Thinking out loud) I also wonder if SQL Express's limit of connections has anything to do with timeouts?