[EPM 2007] Supported and recommended architecture

[Guillaume]

Hello,

I am looking for further information on the integration and
recommendation about some elements which are included in the architecture of
EPM 2007.

///////HARDWARE\\\\\\

-- Architecture -- :

-64 Bits, sounds to be supported by EPM 2007
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd745012.aspx). No information is
added in the official MSP configuration site
(http://office.microsoft.com/project/HA101945401036.aspx).

On the TechNet site, an article point out, that it is normally possible to
migrate to an 64 bits architecture. But it seems touchy and risky. Have any
one of you a feed back about this action ?

-- Storage --

HD: How much space do you advise for 100 users with 40
simultaneous access maximum?


///////SOFTWARE\\\\\\\


- Operating System -:

- W2K8: The 2 sites mentioned above, as well as the Architectural MSPS
2007 White Paper http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=92795&clcid=0x40C) do
not mention the compatible with W2K8. However, it amazes me. What about it
really?

- Database -:

- SQL Server 2008: It is indicated on the Office TechNet
site that Project Server 2007 battery supports Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (if
you install the SP1 for WSS or + MSPS). Does someone have any feed about the
integration of this version of SQL Server and EPM 2007?

Another thing: What are your mains reasons and conditions to install the SQL
server on a separated server?


//////RECOMANDED CONFIGURATION \\\\\\

Finally there seems to be 2 main configurations:


-- Standard architecture --

...Hardware..
Archi: 32 Bits
HD: 50 GO min
MEM: 4 GO advised
CPU: Dual Core 3 GHZ

...Software..
OS: W2K3
SQL Server 2005


-- "Recent" architecture --

...Hardware..
Archi: 64 Bits
DD: Same?
MEM: Same ?
CPU: Same?

...Software..
OS: W2K8
SQL: Server 2008
WSS 3.0: SP1 minimum
Office SP1 minimum
MSP pro SP1 minimum


D'avance merci pour vos retours,

 

[ProjmanZA]

Hello,

I am looking for further information on the integration and
recommendation about some elements which are included in the architectureof
EPM 2007.

///////HARDWARE\\\\\\

 -- Architecture -- :

 -64 Bits, sounds to be supported by EPM 2007
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd745012.aspx). No information is
added in the official MSP configuration site
(http://office.microsoft.com/project/HA101945401036.aspx).

On the TechNet site, an article point out, that it is normally possible to
migrate to an 64 bits architecture. But it seems touchy and risky. Have any
one of you a feed back about this action ?

 -- Storage --

HD: How much space do you advise for 100 users with 40
simultaneous access maximum?

///////SOFTWARE\\\\\\\

- Operating System -:

  - W2K8: The 2 sites mentioned above, as well as the Architectural MSPS
2007 White Paperhttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=92795&clcid=0x40C) do
not mention the compatible with W2K8. However, it amazes me. What about it
really?

- Database -:

  - SQL Server 2008: It is indicated on the Office TechNet
site that Project Server 2007 battery supports Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (if
you install the SP1 for WSS or + MSPS). Does someone have any feed about the
integration of this version of SQL Server and EPM 2007?

Another thing: What are your mains reasons and conditions to install the SQL
server on a separated server?

//////RECOMANDED CONFIGURATION \\\\\\

Finally there seems to be 2 main configurations:

 -- Standard architecture --

..Hardware..
Archi: 32 Bits
HD: 50 GO min
MEM: 4 GO advised
CPU: Dual Core 3 GHZ

..Software..
OS: W2K3
SQL Server 2005

 -- "Recent" architecture --

..Hardware..
Archi: 64 Bits
DD: Same?
MEM: Same ?
CPU: Same?

..Software..
OS: W2K8
SQL: Server 2008
WSS 3.0: SP1 minimum
Office SP1 minimum
MSP pro SP1 minimum

D'avance merci pour vos retours,

Good Day ,

Herewith my comments / reccomendations.

From a Harware perpesective i will recoomend going on a x64 Platform.
Reasons for this is, firstly on a x86 platform you automatically sit
with the 4GB RAM limitation. Which could imoact you now or
later ,depending on the architecture. The word is that SharePoint 2010
will only Support x64 (Must be Conformed though). With installing x64
you aotomatically bump the RAM limitation up to 8GB. This is very
important especially for SQL, as SQL is a hungry Bugger!!

From a migration point of view from x86 to x64. What would happen here
would be a farm Backup / SQL backup , and then restoring it to the new
x64 enivironment. As long as you keep the old environment running i
cannot foresee it as being a Major Risk. Just make sure the service
pack levels are the same on both servers before atempting this.

As far as storage goes - You are not asking the right questions
(With all due Respect) I will need to know if you will be using
workspaces, whether documents will be uploaded, how big will the
Project schedules be, how many projects will be saved to the server ?
Then what you can do is try to work out how many documents (MB) will
there be per project. Multiply that by about 3 - for SQL storage -
transaction logs and backup space needed, the add another 30% for
potential growth.

Windows 2008 will work as i have deployed on that environment before.
If using SQL 2005 you must at least be on SP2 otherwise there might be
issues. So go ahead , there might be some tweaks you might have to do
but its not too difficult.

If i was you , i would deploy using SQL 2008, as it works 100%, and
its much better than 2005 - Not going into that topic now though.
Install the latestest service pack with the CU's. WSS will suffice,
but remember to install the SP's for WSS Before the SP for Project
Server. Maybe i should also just ask if WSS will be "Good Enough" for
you. Would you not want to use Form Services or excel services, then
you would rather go the MOSS Enterprise route.

Something you have not mentioned but should concider is the
connectivity to the server. Are there WAN users ?or all locally
connected users ? Would reccomend at least 1GB connection between the
SQL and Project Server.

One of the most important things to concider is what you mention about
installing SQL on the same / separate server. If SQL runs on the same
server it can potentially hog all the memory on the server. Secondly
SQL seem to take slightly longer to initiallise and can cause Project
Server compllaining about an error " Cannot connect to configuration
database" thirdly it makes scaling very difficult when needed to do
so.

I would reccomend to have SQL and MOPS on seperate servers, in the
long run it WILL improve performance and make your life alot easier.

Hope this clarifies your concerns.

Andre

 

[Mark Everett | PMP]

Good Day ,

Herewith my comments / reccomendations.

From a Harware perpesective i will recoomend going on a x64 Platform.
Reasons for this is, firstly on a x86 platform you automatically sit
with the 4GB RAM limitation. Which could imoact you now or
later ,depending on the architecture. The word is that SharePoint 2010
will only Support x64 (Must be Conformed though). With installing x64
you aotomatically bump the RAM limitation up to 8GB. This is very
important especially for SQL, as SQL is a hungry Bugger!!

From a migration point of view from x86 to x64. What would happen here
would be a farm Backup / SQL backup , and then restoring it to the new
x64 enivironment. As long as you keep the old environment running i
cannot foresee it as being a Major Risk. Just make sure the service
pack levels are the same on both servers before atempting this.

As far as storage goes - You are not asking the right questions
(With all due Respect) I will need to know if you will be using
workspaces, whether documents will be uploaded, how big will the
Project schedules be, how many projects will be saved to the server ?
Then what you can do is try to work out how many documents (MB) will
there be per project. Multiply that by about 3 - for SQL storage -
transaction logs and backup space needed, the add another 30% for
potential growth.

Windows 2008 will work as i have deployed on that environment before.
If using SQL 2005 you must at least be on SP2 otherwise there might be
issues. So go ahead , there might be some tweaks you might have to do
but its not too difficult.

If i was you , i would deploy using SQL 2008, as it works 100%, and
its much better than 2005 - Not going into that topic now though.
Install the latestest service pack with the CU's. WSS will suffice,
but remember to install the SP's for WSS Before the SP for Project
Server. Maybe i should also just ask if WSS will be "Good Enough" for
you. Would you not want to use Form Services or excel services, then
you would rather go the MOSS Enterprise route.

Something you have not mentioned but should concider is the
connectivity to the server. Are there WAN users ?or all locally
connected users ? Would reccomend at least 1GB connection between the
SQL and Project Server.

One of the most important things to concider is what you mention about
installing SQL on the same / separate server. If SQL runs on the same
server it can potentially hog all the memory on the server. Secondly
SQL seem to take slightly longer to initiallise and can cause Project
Server compllaining about an error " Cannot connect to configuration
database" thirdly it makes scaling very difficult when needed to do
so.

I would reccomend to have SQL and MOPS on seperate servers, in the
long run it WILL improve performance and make your life alot easier.

Hope this clarifies your concerns.

Andre- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

In addition to Andre's excellent post - I just deployed Project Server
2007 on a Windows 2008/SQL Server 2008 farm. Two web servers, two
application servers and SQL 2008. We used a Project Server 2007 SP1
image for the initial install and then ran the updates for SP2.

If you plan on using Analysis Services, Technet says to use the SQL
2005 AS components (SQL 2005 Native Client, Management Objects and
Backwards Compatibility) and in my experience, that didn't work until
we also installed the SQL 2008 Native Client).

Hope this helps,
Mark Everett PMP | MCITP
www.catapultsystems.com

 

[Guillaume]

Hello,

Thank you both for these precious information. Helps a lot ! I add a little
sum up at the bottom of the post. Hope it can helps people. Please don't
hesitate to tell me if you see any mistake.
About the storage problem you were right about me asking the wrong question

So here are more information about this specific case :

100 users with 40 simultaneous access maximum. use of Uploaded documents (1
GB per project). 15 projects, use of workspace. So 15X3+30%=60 GB ?

On the other hand the general calculation rule (Multiply by 3, add 30% for
grouwth) are very useful. Do you have ohters that could help by exemple about
workspace, and project size (can a link be created

between number of line and size) ?

Let's continu,

About SharePoint : WSS is enough.

Another very important point is connectivity. There will be WAn and LAN
users. 1 GB between SQL and Project Server is enough to you deal with them ?
(I will create a topic in order to get more information

about WAN EPM access).

Separated server : I join your opinion. Besides it is for long uses



////// SUPPORTED TECHNOLOGY \\\\\\

///////HARDWARE\\\\\\

-- Architecture -- :

-64 Bits ==> Supported. Note migrate from 32 to 64 bits is possible. ()

///////SOFTWARE\\\\\\\

- Operating System -:

- W2K8: Supported

- Database -:

- SQL Server 2008: Supported.



//////RECOMANDED CONFIGURATION \\\\\\

///////HARDWARE\\\\\\

-- Architecture : 64 Bits

-- Storage : General calculation rules : Multiply you're uploaded documents
size by 3 (SQL storage), add 30% (potential grouwth), add backup space, add
workspace, project size

-- Connectivity : 1GB between the SQL and Project Server.

///////SOFTWARE\\\\\\\

-- Operating System : W2K8

-- Database : SQL Server 2008 on a separated server.

-- WSS 3.0: SP1 minimum
-- Office SP1 minimum
-- MSP pro SP1 minimum

Thank