Memory

[Arnaldo Fuziy]

We're starting a project and I'd like to know how much RAM memory you
usually estimate for the server per user, if you consider the user will be
using an ERP system, Word and Excel?

Tks in advance,

Arnaldo Fuziy.

 

[alf]

If you are using rdp it uses 20-40mb per user and Citrix
ICA uses 10-20 mb per user also terminal server has 2 idle
sessions running which uses 4mb for each idle session.

 

[Joe]

A quick guess is about an average of 120 megs per users if
they have all three apps open at a time.

A power users may consume as much as 250 megs.

Session itself 20-40 megs
Office apps 20 - 80 megs each - depends on what your doing
ERP system - varies probably same as Office apps.
Check out
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overvie
w/tsscaling.mspx

 

[Guest]

The display protocol does NOT affect the amount to RAM consumed by a session,
however it can affect the amount of bandwidth used.

The RAM consumed is determined by the applications being used + about 4MB
for each session. Since many programs share memory and servers don't scale
linearly, you can't just multiply the apps times the number of sessions to
get an accurate idea of how your server will scale.

That being said, you have to keep in mind that for user processes, you only
have access to 1/2 of the total system RAM, as the other half is dedicated to
system processes.

The only ways to accurately forecast your hardware requirements are to test
with actual user sessions (via script or load testing application) or to
bring up a TS and add a few sessions at a time with real users and monitor
the system resources against your know baseline (with no interactive user
sessions).

Hardware recommendations, system scaling & load balancing:
http://www.workthin.com/tshw.htm

Patrick Rouse
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://www.workthin.com