Multipoint server 2011 Premium - 20 machine spec

[Bluetooth]

Hey All

 

I recently recieved an eval unit of the Hp multiseat solution and have been using it to test within our ict room.

 

Reason i am posting is, i have been reading the documentation that comes with multipoint server 2011 and from what i understand on the hp solution, it shouldnt really be able to run 10 zero clients based on the spec of the machine.

 

I am putting together a spec that will run a multipoint server for 20 machines, and wondered what you guys thought of the following:

 

Intel Xeon w3690 hex core

gigabyte g1 sniper motherboard

16gb ram

2x 10k rpm sata 3 hdd's

850w power supply.

 

I havent settled on which zero client to use just yet as i have another eval unit coming from plugable to test their dc-125 zero client.

 

Thanks for everyones thoughts!

[plexer]

I wouldn't try and run more than 10 usb zero clients on any machine.

 

RDP thin client is different.

 

Ben

[SYNACK]

Double the RAM, use SSDs and maybe spring for a more core/more socket CPU so that you have a few more cores. It should cope with basic stuff but flash will grid it into dust if more than eight or so users were trying at once.

[plexer]

That's probably the max ram for that board?

 

Ben

[plexer]

Can do 24GB in that board.

 

Ben

[SYNACK]

That's probably the max ram for that board?

 

Ben

 

Shouldn't be, Xeon has an integrated memory controller and so even with four slots 8GB chips should work. For 20 users 16GB would be very tight as each user session would have maybe 600-700MB which is not that much in modern software.

[plexer]

Shouldn't be, Xeon has an integrated memory controller and so even with four slots 8GB chips should work. For 20 users 16GB would be very tight as each user session would have maybe 600-700MB which is not that much in modern software.

 

Max ram for that board is 24GB

 

Ben

[plexer]

You're never going to get 20 usb zero clients to work acceptably anyway.

 

Ben

[Bluetooth]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

Would that amount of zero clients not even work over USB3?

 

we're initially looking at 10 at the moment but may expand it further. So as i understand it id need to run x amount over usb and x over the network as well?

[SYNACK]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

Would that amount of zero clients not even work over USB3?

 

we're initially looking at 10 at the moment but may expand it further. So as i understand it id need to run x amount over usb and x over the network as well?

 

USB would put a massive toll on it as it not only has to use the CPU to generate each user session but each client shows up as a moniter and audio device on that system that also has to be powered by the CPU.

 

If any USB3 zeroclients existed then it may make the USB overhead a little less of an issue but as far as I know they are all USB2 so far and so the ports would step down to USB2 anyway.

 

 

For comparision we spec our direct GPU connected four stations with 8GB, and i7 2600 and SSD, our six station ones are 16GB with the same other specs and they don't have to handle the overhead of both rendering and displaying (over a CPU bound USB VGA adapter).

[plexer]

We do 8 stations with i7 and 16GB ram but now stepping that down to 4 per host and 8GB ram, with an i5 in the new hosts.

 

Ben

[Axel]

If you're looking at USB (or USB-over-TCP/IP) terminals there is normally a limit imposed by the terminal manufacturer of 14 or 15.

 

If you want 20 stations on a single server I think you have to use an RDP based terminal....

 

USB based are faster for lower numbers of terminals - but as the number increases the performance deteriorates, whereas with RDP terminals, the performance is not quite so good to start with

- but remains constant up to the full quota of 20 workstations

 

Microsoft in France did some testing on this, and commented on server spec, you can pick up the Microsoft tweet thread on link below, he does seem to have run out of steam towards the end, you may find something relevant.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/thin-client-virtual-machines/90887-microsoft-stress-testing-windows-multipoint-server-zero-clients.html

 

From : MultiPoint Server Stations

 

[glennda]

TBH with that spec you are better off looking at some decent PCoIP machines and running something like VMware View imho.

[Bluetooth]

some interesting reading in here for sure.

 

After my initial over zealous aim of 20 machines on one system i think scaling the idea back a bit is probably prudent.

 

I am now considering building 2 machines with multipoint server on and running 6 clients from both of those stations. The only limiting thing is i have a budget of ABOUT 1300 including licensing so what i am thinking is the following:

 

i7 3770 (3rd gen)

16gb ram 1600 ram

evga z68 mobo

650w PSU

2x 60gb ssd's

[iainjd]

Hi,

 

We are a London Primary school and are very interested in this solution for our ICT Suite. I actually saw it working today while I went on a training course... Seems like a good a bit of kit.

 

I am thinking of a HP i5 machine with 500GB and 5GB Ram. This would support 6 stations. Do you guys think that would be enough spec? I don't wanna go down this road and realise we need to upgrade machines!

 

Has anyone got the HP Multiseat working in their school? What spec and how many machines have you gone for?

 

HP MS6200 SFF i52400 500G 4.0G PC Intel Core i5 2400 500GB HDD 7200 SATA DVD+/-RW 4GB PC3- 10600 ( dl ch) FREEDOS Standard 3-3-3 Wty

[plexer]

The MS6200 is over priced for what it is but if you want an off the shelf HP product to perform as your multipoint host take a look at their entry level workstations such as the Z210.

 

Alternatively http://www.ict-direct.co.uk/computers/high-spec-workstations/hp/xw8400-workstation-twin-dual-core-xeon use one of those as your host

 

Ben

[plexer]

Use one of the workstations I just linked to.

 

Ben

[SYNACK]

I am thinking of a HP i5 machine with 500GB and 5GB Ram. This would support 6 stations. Do you guys think that would be enough spec? I don't wanna go down this road and realise we need to upgrade machines!

 

No, at least 1.5GB of RAM per host so around 8GB, its not running Dinosuar OS (XP) and so although it will run with 5GB if you had more than a program or two in each session you would be stuffed. Also, look into an SSD you won't regret it as even with the price premium the benifit is spread out amoung six users.

[Bluetooth]

Hi,

 

We are a London Primary school and are very interested in this solution for our ICT Suite. I actually saw it working today while I went on a training course... Seems like a good a bit of kit.

 

I am thinking of a HP i5 machine with 500GB and 5GB Ram. This would support 6 stations. Do you guys think that would be enough spec? I don't wanna go down this road and realise we need to upgrade machines!

 

Has anyone got the HP Multiseat working in their school? What spec and how many machines have you gone for?

 

HP MS6200 SFF i52400 500G 4.0G PC Intel Core i5 2400 500GB HDD 7200 SATA DVD+/-RW 4GB PC3- 10600 ( dl ch) FREEDOS Standard 3-3-3 Wty

 

As mentioned in my OP, i am currently testing a HP MS6200 with 1x t200, 1x plugable Dc-125 and 1x Axel m80 and so far havent had any huge issues. If you have a good read of the documentation that is on the multipoint site it shows that 4 clients or so requires a dual core. anymore is quad and such.

 

This is why im planning on doing the 6-8 clients on the spec i listed in my previous post.