Quick sizing guide for Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 running on HP ProLiant servers

Executive summary......................................................................................................................2

Solution definition........................................................................................................................2

Sizing considerations....................................................................................................................3

One server deployment (38K simultaneous customers supported)............................................4

Mid-range split server deployment (80K simultaneous customers supported)............................5

Enterprise high availability scale-out deployment (160K simultaneous customers supported). .6

Summary......................................................................................................................................7

For more information...................................................................................................................8

Executive summary

This sizing guide describes a range of pre-configured solutions designed to support Microsoft® Commerce Server 2007. Based on HP ProLiant servers and HP StorageWorks storage products, these multi-tier solutions have been sized to meet a variety of needs, including those required at the entry level, those required by Small and Medium Businesses (SMB), and those required at the Enterprise level. Capabilities extend from approximately 38,000 simultaneous customers to 160,000.

The solution sizings are based on testing carried out by HP to characterize performance in a typical E-Commerce environment.

This document is directed at system integrators, IT staff, and anyone else tasked with configuring Commerce Server 2007 on HP ProLiant servers.

Solution definition

Microsoft Commerce Server has a multi-tier architecture consisting of a thin web-based client, a highly configurable business logic layer, and a back-end database. This allows Commerce Server to work well for both internal and external web clients.

This highly scalable design allows Commerce Server to work with businesses of any size. For the smallest businesses, Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 can be installed in a single server environment running Microsoft Windows® Server 2003. In this case, all the tiers of the solution can run alongside core infrastructure services, providing a low-cost solution.

As the number of users increase, the business logic layer and database layer can be separated onto dedicated servers providing increased performance and throughput. For the largest deployments, this can be further extended by “scaling out” the business logic layer to balance the user load across multiple servers. Not only does this allow a greater user count, but it also provides built-in redundancy, since the remaining servers can take up the slack in the event of a server failure. For the highest availability solution, the backend database layer (Microsoft SQL Server 2005) can be clustered when using a shared storage solution.

3

Figure 1. Deployment diagram

Sizing considerations

There are many considerations when sizing web-based applications, but understanding the site’s content is one of the most important. The information provided in this sizing guide is based on 75% Static and 25% Dynamic content. Other considerations include but are not limited to:

Application (efficiently written)

Memory

Processor

Type of architecture (single, multi-tier), high availability

Growth of both content and customers

4

ClientsRemote Clients

?Which application deployment

model is right for you?Core Infrastructure Core Infrastructure

ServicesServicesDomain Controller, DNS, DHCPDomain Controller, DNS, DHCPExchange, Management, etc.Exchange, Management, etc.

Internet

Firewall / Router

Network Switch

ImportantThis guide provides a general sizing overview. This is not to be used as a final sizing recommendation. There are many customer-specific details that can impact the application of the general sizing information presented in this guide.

HP recommends proof-of-concept testing in a non-production environment using the actual target application as a matter of best practice for all application deployments. Testing the actual target application in a test/staging environment identical to, but isolated from, the production environment is the most effective way to estimate a system’s behavior.

One server deployment (38K simultaneous customers supported)

Many small businesses implement a single server installation to support their customer base.

Figure 2. Single Server configuration

Application/Database/Web Server Windows Server 2003 (x86 or x64)

.NET Framework 2.0 (including ASP.NET 2.0)

Commerce Server 2007

Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)

SQL Server 2000 or 2005 Enterprise Edition

1 ProLiant DL/BL/ML 4P server

4GB RAM

2 x 36GB 15K HDs (RAID 1)

Note 1: Network switches are not included in the configuration but are implied.

Note 2: When configuring any of the ProLiant server(s) for a Microsoft Commerce Server implementation, the highest available processor speed should always be used.

Note 3: Refer to http://www.microsoft.com for operating system and configuration requirements

5

Clients

ProLiant Server

6

Mid-range split server deployment(80K simultaneous customers supported)

As the user count or workload increases, the application is separated from the data, creating a two server, or “split” deployment model. This allows the hardware choices to be tailored to the demands of each tier. Because of the number of disk spindles required for optimal SQL Server performance, an entry-level SAN solution is included based on the HP StorageWorks 1000 Modular Smart Array (MSA1000) storage array.

Figure 3. Mid Range Split Server configuration

Application/Web Servers Windows Server 2003 (x86 or x64)

.NET Framework 2.0 (including ASP.NET 2.0)

Commerce Server 2007 Standard or Enterprise Edition

Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)

2 ProLiant DL/BL/ML 2P servers

2GB RAM

2 x 36GB 15K HDs or larger (RAID 1)

Microsoft Clustered SQL Database Server SQL Server 2000 or 2005 Enterprise Edition

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition

2 ProLiant DL/BL/ML 4P servers

4GB RAM

2 x 36GB 15K HDs or larger (RAID 1)

Clustered on a MSA1500 Enterprise SAN

External Storage HP StorageWorks MSA1500 storage array

(4 x 36GB HDs or larger)

Note 1: Network switches are not included in the configuration but are implied.

Note 2: Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB) software and third-party load balancing device were both tested and are interchangeable in the configuration above.

Note 3: When configuring any of the ProLiant servers for a Microsoft Commerce Server implementation, the highest available processor speed should always be used.

Note 4: Refer to http://www.microsoft.com for configuration support details for both Standard and Enterprise Edition.

7

Clients

Windows Core Infrastructure

MSA1500

Application Servers:Load-balanced web front-end

Clustered SQL Server:

Back-end database

ProLiant Servers ProLiant Servers

Enterprise high availability scale-out deployment (160K simultaneous customers supported)

For larger Commerce Server user counts or transaction volumes, a “scaled” deployment model is recommended. Multiple ProLiant servers are load balanced where appropriate and serve as the application tier for Commerce Server. This allows for distribution of the workload and provides fault-tolerance against a single server failure. The SQL Server database is deployed on a clustered pair of ProLiant servers providing high availability for the database systems. A storage area network based on the HP MSA1500 array is used to maximize the data throughput and disk spindle count required for the highest database performance levels.

Figure 4. Enterprise configuration

Application Servers (x4) ProLiant BL25p blade server 2 Single-Core AMD Opteron™ processors 4GB RAM Smart Array 6i controller 2x72GB SCSI RAID1 (OS)Microsoft Clustered SQL Database Server SQL Server 2000 or 2005 Enterprise

Edition Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition 2 ProLiant DL/BL/ML 4P servers 4GB RAM 2 x 36GB 15K HDs or larger (RAID 1) Clustered on a MSA1500 Enterprise SANExternal Storage HP StorageWorks MSA1500

(4 x 36GB HDs or larger)

Note 1: Network switches are not included in the configuration but are implied.

Note 2: Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB) software and third-party load balancing device were both tested and are interchangeable in the configuration above.

Note 3: When configuring any of the ProLiant servers for a Microsoft Commerce Server implementation, the highest available processor speed should always be used.

8

Clients

Windows Core

Infrastructure

SQL Server:Back-end database cluster

ProLiant Servers

ProLiant Servers

MSA1500

Fibre channel based SAN for external storage

HP BladeSystem

Application Servers:Load-balanced web front-end

Summary

This sizing guide offers a range of pre-configured solutions designed to support Commerce Server 2007 solutions. Based on HP ProLiant servers and HP StorageWorks storage products, these multi-tier solutions have been sized to meet a variety of needs. To help you make the appropriate selection, the number of web service requests supported by each solution is given; however, it is important to recognize that performance in a production environment will depend on the nature of the specific web services being supported.

9

For more information

HP Servers, http://www.hp.com/go/servers

HP Storage, http://www.hp.com/go/storage

HP ActiveAnswers, http://www.hp.com/go/activeanswers

Microsoft Commerce Server, http://www.microsoft.com/commerceserver/default.mspx

Microsoft SQL Server, http://www.microsoft.com/sql/default.mspx

How to buy HP products, http://www.hp.com/buy

© 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

AMD Opteron is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

8/2006