System RequirementsThis document was last updated October 4, 2011. Escape Online 5 has been developed using Microsoft .Net architecture. We utilize a 3 tier architecture: client - application servers - database servers. The purpose of this document is to provide initial information regarding hardware and third party software required to implement our system. As hardware and other associated networking gear evolves so rapidly, and each implementation is unique, this document should be used as a guideline when discussing the equipment you will purchase for your implementation. Also note that the size of your organization(s) will dictate the hardware selections. Escape Online 5 can scale from a single server implementation for a small district, to nearly the largest COE type operation. Introduction to Escape Online 5 ArchitectureEscape Online uses a three-tier architecture model.
This architecture makes Escape Online more flexible, manageable and scalable. Advantages include:
The following graphically represents the architecture of Escape Online.
System OverviewThe Escape Online 5 server environment is standard to enterprise class ERP systems – several powerful servers and a powerful database environment. The following are brief descriptions of the hardware components that make up the Escape Online 5 system. Application ServersApp servers host the Escape Online 5 application services. Our system is made up of hundreds of services, which respond to requests by users. Discussion points:
Database ServerOne server acts as the database server, running MS SQL Server. All requests for data from the App Servers are processed by this server. The DB server has higher memory requirements than the App Servers, and the County may want to provide for some local SQL DB’s, so we have suggested an appropriate configuration. Storage Attached NetworkThus far our customers have experienced peak loads nearing 500 concurrent users. Our customers have had great success with SAN devices, utilizing many individual drives to spread data across numerous “spindles.” These intelligent data storage devices do a great deal of management and optimization themselves, relieving IT staff. Hardware Load BalancersOur customers utilize load balancing devices to spread client connections automatically across application servers. A recent enhancement will probably eliminate the need for these load balancers, but as this has been tested in production at this time, we are including them in the RFP. Server Operating SystemsWindows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise is the optimal operation system for both application and database server given it is the latest Microsoft server technology and supports 64-bit applications and hardware. Other supported operating systems include Windows Server 2008 32 and 64 bit in Standard and Enterprise versions and Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard. Test Server RequirementsNearly all our implementations utilize a test server. A test server is also an ideal way to begin an implementation. The application and database server functionality referenced above can be combined on one server, for the purposes of getting the implementation team up and running, working on data conversions and so on. We highly recommend starting with a single test server, to get the system up and running as soon as possible for the implementation team. Most organizations will further utilize the test server for testing new versions, and doing training on a non-production database. Network RequirementsNetworks are all about bandwidth. More is always better. As a rich user experience type of application, the Escape Online 5 system moves significant amounts of data between client and server. Typically, the network within a given organization is not really an issue. The issue is the network between the application servers and the clients. There are two factors to consider - bandwidth and load. For districts having sites utilizing technology such as DSL or ISDN, performance will be less than desirable if there is much other load on the connection besides the Escape traffic. With many networks, the web access for teachers and students also use the same connection, and their activities put a load on the connection. Even T-1 connections can be overwhelmed with web traffic. We suggest that the business office traffic be separated from teacher/student web traffic, in order to have a consistent level of service. We get a lot of calls about why our system slows down every day at about 2:00. In general, you want the most bandwidth this is available. We can discuss any bandwidth limitations in your network as part of the implementation. Desktop RequirementsOur desktop client is a lightweight “presentation engine,” a true windows EXE. Disk requirements are negligible (30 mb). Power users process a lot of data with our application, thus it does require a reasonably up-to-date desktop to achieve reasonable performance. Optimal desktop performance is obtained from 2.0 GHz+ PCs with 2GB+ of RAM. Supported operating systems include Windows XP, Windows Vista 32 & 64-bit, Windows 7 32 & 64-bit. The minimum desktop requirement is a Pentium 4 based machine, with 512mb of RAM. As for specifics, we have different requirements for different configurations, depending upon your needs. Please review the section that most closely resembles your organization.
These requirements are really recommendations that you should consider and discuss with Escape Technology and your IT staff. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EqualLogic PS6000XV (Fast Disk Storage) |
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|---|---|
| Type | Requirements | EqualLogic PS6000XV | Dell EqualLogic PS6000XV, High Performance, 15K SAS Drives |
| Capacity | 4.8 Terabyte capacity, 16 X 300GB, 15K SAS, Dual Controller |
| Replication | Asynchronous Replication |
| Snapshots and Clones | Snaps/Clones with integration for MS SQL, Exchange, Hyper V and VMWare. |
| System Monitoring tools | SAN HQ multi group monitoring software |
| Hardware Support Services | 3 Year ProSupport for IT and Mission Critical 4HR 7x24 Onsite Pack |
| Installation Services | Phone Assist Install |
| Proactive Maintenance | Proactive Maintenance: 1 event per year, 1 Year |
| Accessories - Dell Educ Svcs | Web Based Training EQL PS Series Basic Management 1 Year |
| Dell PowerEdge R910 (Database Server) |
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|---|---|
| Type | Requirements |
| PowerEdge R910 | R910 Chassis for up to Sixteen 2.5-Inch Hard Drives |
| Operating System | No Operating System |
| SHIP | PowerEdge R910 Shipping |
| Memory | 64GB Memory (16x4GB), 1066MHz, Dual Ranked RDIMMs for 2 Processors, Power Optimized |
| Embedded NIC with ISOE | Dual Two-Port Embedded Broadcom NetXtreme II 5709 Gigabit Ethernet Controllers |
| Processor | 2x Intel® Xeon® E7530 1.86GHz, 12M cache, 5.86 GT/s QPI, Turbo, HT, 6C, 980MHz Max mem |
| Additional Processor | Dual Processors Only |
| Hard Drives | HD Multi-Select |
| Primary Controller | PERC H700 Integrated RAID Controller, 1GB NV Cache |
| BIOS Setting | Performance BIOS Setting |
| Embedded Management | iDRAC6 Express |
| Optional Optical Drive | DVD-ROM Drive, Internal |
| Bezel | PowerEdge R910 Bezel |
| System Documentation | Electronic System Documentation, OpenManage DVD Kit with DMC |
| RAID Configuration | RAID 1/RAID 10 for PERC H700 Controller (Mixed SSD R1/ SAS R10 Drives) |
| Rails | Sliding Ready Rails With Cable Management Arm |
| Hardware Support Services | 3 Year ProSupport for IT and Mission Critical 4HR 7x24 Onsite Pack |
| Installation Services | No Installation |
| Power Supply | High Output Power Supply (1100W), Redundant Energy Optimal configuration (1+1) |
| Power Cords | NEMA 5-15P to C13 Wall Plug, 125 Volt, 15 AMP, 10 Feet (3m), Power Cord |
| Hard Drives | (6) 146GB 15K RPM Serial-Attach SCSI 6Gbps 2.5in Hotplug Hard Drive |
| Hard Drives | (2) 100GB Solid State Drive SATA Mainstream 2.5in HotPlug Hard Drive |
| PowerEdge R710 (4x - APP Servers with SSD disks) |
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|---|---|
| Type | Requirements |
| PowerEdge R710 | Chassis for Up to 6, 3.5-Inch Hard Drives and Intel® 56XX Processors |
| Operating System | No Operating System |
| SHIP | PowerEdge R710 Shipping |
| Memory | 12GB Memory (12x1GB), 1333MHz Single Ranked UDIMMs for 2 Processors, Optimized |
| Feature Upgrades for Embedded NIC Ports | Dual Two-Port Embedded Broadcom® NetXtreme II 5709 Gigabit Ethernet NIC |
| Processor | Intel® Xeon® E5630 2.53Ghz, 12M Cache, Turbo, HT, 1066MHz Max Mem |
| Additional Processor | Intel® Xeon® E5630 2.53Ghz, 12M Cache, Turbo, HT, 1066MHz Max Mem |
| 1st Hard Drive | HD Multi-Select |
| Primary Controller | PERC 6/i SAS RAID Controller, 2x4 Connectors, Internal, PCIe,256MB Cache,x6 |
| BIOS Setting | Power Saving BIOS Setting |
| Network Adapter | Intel® Gigabit ET NIC, Dual Port, Copper, PCIe-4 |
| Embedded Management | iDRAC6 Express |
| Internal Optical Drive | DVD ROM, SATA, Internal |
| Bezel | Bezel |
| Riser Card | Riser with 2 PCIe x8 + 2 PCIe x4 Slot |
| System Documentation | Electronic System Doc, OpenManage DVD Kit with Dell Management Console |
| Hard Drive Configuration | RAID 1 for H700 or PERC 6/i Controllers, SSD Hard Drives |
| Rails | Sliding Ready Rails With Cable Management Arm |
| Hardware Support Services | 3 Year ProSupport for IT 4HR 7x24 Onsite: Non Mission Critical |
| Installation Services | No Installation |
| Power Supply | Energy Smart Power Supply, Redundant, 570W |
| Power Cords | No Additional Power Cords |
| Power Cords | NEMA 5-15P to C13 Wall Plug, 125 Volt, 15 AMP, 10 Feet (3m), Power Cord |
| Hard Drives | (2) 100GB Solid State Drive Mainstream 2.5in HotPlug Hard Drive, 3.5in HYB CARR |
| Barracuda Networks LB-340 (For Load Balancing client connections between application servers) |
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|---|---|
| Type | Requirements |
| Barracuda Load Balancer 340 with 3 yr Energize Updates | (2 needed for hardware failover) |
We define a small COE to have approximately 15,000 ADA or less.
For small COEs, we have a program we call XCOE, where Escape Technology provides the proper hardware, software and application, in a hosted environment, so you can spend more time focusing on organizational and educational needs. There are no server or system software requirements.
For XCOE customers, we utilize several top-of-the-line servers, with drives setup in RAID5 to ensure hard drive redundancy and performance. Database and application servers have redundant power supplies. Any failed drives or power supplies can be hot swapped. Additional servers can easily be added to the XCOE system and quickly configured as needed.
| Database Server |
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| Type | Requirements | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating System | Microsoft® Windows Server 2003 or 2008 Standard or Enterprise Server. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| SQL Server | SQL 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| SQL Server .NET Data Provider | Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.7. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Processor(s) / Ram |
Due to the variation of size and complexity of databases, it is recommended that you consult your preferred hardware vendor and discuss your specific needs. As a starting point, the following are guidelines based on our existing customer databases.
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| Storage space | Typical Initial DB sizes are:
Please allow 20% per year for growth |
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| Application Server |
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|---|---|
| Type | Requirements |
| Physical Server Count | For our .Net 3.5 platform system, we recommend one physical server per 50-75 concurrent users, plus 1 for fault tolerance. So for 300 concurrent users, we recommend 5-6 application servers. |
| Operating System | Microsoft® Windows Server 2008 Standard or Enterprise Server. |
| SQL Server .NET Data Provider | Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.7. |
| Processor | Intel Xeon at 2 GHz or higher. |
| RAM | 4Gb. |
| Storage space | Storage requirements for Windows, plus 1gb for Escape Online software. |
| Other |
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