[sims] SIMS Server Hardware Spec

[techie08]

I have just had someone from Capita detail what spec our new SIMS server should be and they said the server would need to have 30GB RAM? Is this correct?

 

Thanks

[Mcshammer_dj]

Sound a little high what size is your sims?

[Mcshammer_dj]

Interest that the latest SIMS guidance is as follows:

 

Computer and processor 3.0 GHz processor or higher (Quad Core 2.4 GHz or higher recommended for optimum performance in secondary

schools and sites using InTouch).

Memory (minimum recommended) 2GB or higher (4GB recommended for optimum performance in secondary schools and sites using InTouch).

Disk space guidance Overhead space—1GB working space + 1/4GB for SQL Express. Customers should allow 5MB per

pupil/student. For example, a 1000 pupil/student school would be advised to have at least 5GB free for SIMS.

File Server—2GB for applications and SIMS Setups folder.

[FN-GM]

Wow i think that is a little high.

[techie08]

Sound a little high what size is your sims?

 

we have only 100 staff (may only 90 of those connect to SIMS) and 1200 pupils. the database is ony 3gb in size and we already use In touch and discover on the SIMS server.

[Gibson335]

Sounds way over the top to me - we allocate 16Gb and it is completely stable with more users and a bigger database.

[synaesthesia]

Our SIMS server has 4GB ram for 1700 people.

 

Go figure.

Will be futureproofing a little for the upcoming requirements of SQL Server 2012 and what-not but 30GB is sillydaft.

 

However, with all due respect to many staff at Capita, a fair few wouldn't know the difference between RAM and storage space if they'd swallowed Seagate's portfolio.

Edited December 10, 2012 by synaesthesia

[Gibson335]

Yeah - ours ran OK on 4Gb - had more CPU issues than anything else. Gave it 16Gb when we virtualised.

[Michael]

I'd recommend 2008 R2 with 8 - 16GB of memory. This should easily be enough. DDR3 ECC memory is cheap enough, but server boards to host 32GB+ of memory are still costly at the moment. 4 x DIMMS with 4GB in each slot is enough working space vs price.

[SHimmer45]

a rather old 2 socket system here with 4GB RAM, nothing special about it at all. (1200 pupils 100 staff)

running am&pm and lesson registrations quite happily (also has an installation of discover for testing)

looking at upgrading to a new box shortly due to the removal of 2003 server support and the moving to 2008 (captia appear to support R2 but the LEA doesnt)

something with 8GB ram plus should be ample really 30GB is mental unless thats keeping nearly all the DB actions in ram?? i cant see a reason for it being that high its not like your going to have 100 and 100's of massive queries or what every running on it constantly?

[Gibson335]

I have just had someone from Capita detail what spec our new SIMS server should be and they said the server would need to have 30GB RAM? Is this correct?

 

Thanks

 

I'd ask them to point out where in their own specs they see anything to arrive at such a figure.

[bossman]

Run a virtual Sims server with 6GB Ram and we have 102 workstations running Sims, Discover and 5 workstations running FMS no problems whatsoever.

 

Database is 3GB and the Student count is 750, seems like a little overkill with the RAM, could they have mistaken it for the storage side?

 

Excessive if you ask me.

[vikpaw]

My specs are in my sig..

 

Interest that the latest SIMS guidance is as follows:

 

Computer and processor 3.0 GHz processor or higher (Quad Core 2.4 GHz or higher recommended for optimum performance in secondary

schools and sites using InTouch).

Memory (minimum recommended) 2GB or higher (4GB recommended for optimum performance in secondary schools and sites using InTouch).

Disk space guidance Overhead space—1GB working space + 1/4GB for SQL Express. Customers should allow 5MB per

pupil/student. For example, a 1000 pupil/student school would be advised to have at least 5GB free for SIMS.

File Server—2GB for applications and SIMS Setups folder.

What they've done is add up all the numbers in the spec guidance - 3,2.4,2,4,1,.25,5,5,2 = 24.65 , obviously not the 1000 cos that would be silly then done the calculation and added 5 or 6 GB for the students, and come to somewhere between 29.65 and 30.65 . 30 is a good call

You can't knock them for not rounding up to the nearest power of 8.

[chrisalltraine]

I have 20GB of RAM and on the second day (Log Growth) the database can use as much as 12GB RAM (Virtual Memory is Disabled) - 30GB for me would be a decent amount for the Sims Server (also consider additional database's and services that you may run on the same server (Discover, Intouch) as well as other MIS systems that Syncs with Sims (Oliver, Cashless Catering) etc..

 

For me I say (If purchase of a new server is agreed then no harm in adding as much memory) considering you could take some out and slap it in another server you been dying to get memory for.

[localzuk]

Not sure why you'd need that much RAM on what is basically a SQL server.

 

Our SIMS DB is about 1.2GB in size, so we would spec about 2GB to start for that, then you've got Solus 3 which you'd generously give a gig to, reporting services, discover database etc... another gig (being generous still). If you use FMS, I'd do a 2x DB size for that too.

 

So, for our site, 5GB would cover it happily. We're currently running it all, plus extras, under 3GB RAM, and everything works perfectly 99% of the time. The biggest slowdown for us is our use of SQL Express and the CPU in the machine (an Opteron 246).

 

30GB sounds ridiculously high.

[chrisalltraine]

Swings and Roundabouts I suppose, I do get a lot of increase when the admin staff are running large reports or other housekeeping tasks and has no affect on the performance of Sims for other users.

Bulk uploading student photos is now a painless task, for me the additional memory sitting there does come in use at some point (I have never fully used 20GB but have gone over the 16GB)

 

 

I am still yet to upgrade to Solus3 (holding back as long as I can to be honest) hate sitting on needles.

 

 

[vikpaw]

I'm pretty sure if you give SQL 120GB to play with, it will happy make use of it somehow. It's just not needed for what is really a fairly small program, even with it's memory leaks!

[synaesthesia]

8.8GB? If I saw a SIMS server using that for anything short of a monolithic school I'd look something like this before smacking it with a lump mallet

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q141/FoamySoupp/MoviesANDtv/Monty%20Python/dumbo.gif

[zag]

We have 1000 users here and run on a virtualized server with 4GB of ram and 120GB hard disk.

 

Runs really well on that.

[zag]

I have 20GB of RAM and on the second day (Log Growth) the database can use as much as 12GB RAM (Virtual Memory is Disabled) - 30GB for me would be a decent amount for the Sims Server (also consider additional database's and services that you may run on the same server (Discover, Intouch) as well as other MIS systems that Syncs with Sims (Oliver, Cashless Catering) etc..

 

For me I say (If purchase of a new server is agreed then no harm in adding as much memory) considering you could take some out and slap it in another server you been dying to get memory for.

 

Its actually a downside to order too much RAM for a SQL server as it will use as much as it can get.

 

Just because it is using it, does not mean Sims needs it. Thats just how SQL server allocates resources.

 

4GB is fine.

[mdench]

We have ours running as a VM using 4 cpu and 20GB ram for 140 staff and 1600 students. Currently using 14Gb ish of its allocated ram.

[localzuk]

Its actually a downside to order too much RAM for a SQL server as it will use as much as it can get.

 

Just because it is using it, does not mean Sims needs it. Thats just how SQL server allocates resources.

 

4GB is fine.

 

Indeed. This concept is why MS tell you to put a limit on the SQL server when you're setting up SCCM and SCVMM, as it isn't so efficient to just let it run riot.