Re: More Processors? More Memory?

Actually, this is not quite accurate. While a single, non AWE 32bit process
is limited to addressing no more than 2 GB (or 3GB with the /3GB and
compiled as large address space aware), it is possible to support more
processes with larger working sets when using a PAE enabled system. So, for
example, if you have 32 users, with an application set each committing 200
MB or memory, that roughly equals 6.2 GB of RAM. Now, if you have a PAE
enabled system with 8GB of ram, versus 4GB of ram, the vast majority of the
6.2GB of committed memory can potentially reside in physical memory as
working set. The additional memory reduces the pressure on the system to
trim process working sets and inherently reduces paging.

With that said, the extra PAE memory does not directly extend the 32bit
virtual address space. While it allows multiple processes to maintain larger
portions of their private (user mode) addresses space in physical memory, it
does provide for expansion of the kernel (globally mapped) upper 2GB address
space. This means that there are still limitations on the number and size of
kernel mode data structures including kernel pools, session space and PTE's
that ultimately cap the scalability of Terminal Services regardless of how
much physical memory or CPU cycles the system has available.

With all that said, I would not scale Terminal Services past 4 physical
CPU's (HT or otherwise) and 8GB of ram on a 32bit platform. This
configuration, when combined with WSRM should comfortably support around 120
heavy desktop replacement users, the maximum that I would recommend at this
time. The fact is you will likely run out of kernel address space long
before you can scale past the hardware I described above.

Win2k3 x64 greatly improve scalability by completely removing the kernel
mode addressing limitations. Initial reports from MS internal testing
indicate a nearly 80 percent improvement in terminal server vertical
scalability on 4 CPU systems and considerable scalability improvements on 8
CPU systems. You may wish to perform some testing on Windows 2k3 x64,
provided you have compatible applications.

-Ned



"Cláudio Rodrigues" <Claudio.Rodrigues@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote
in message news:OggnxbagFHA.576@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> This may not help at all. You have the 4GB limitation on 32-bit Windows.
> If you want a server that big you must use Windows 2003 on a 64-bit
> platform.
>
> --
> Cláudio Rodrigues
>
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Technologies - Terminal Services
> http://www.terminal-services.net
> "bhbraswell" <bhbraswell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:D17254CC-16D6-468D-A539-4B1E7C1F1594@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> I'm currently on Win2000 standard with 2 processor 4GB RAM DL380s. The
>> server max's out about 30 users with the applications that are loaded.
>> I want to go to a bigger server. I was thinking 8 processors running
>> under
>> Windows 2003 Enterprise Edition and 32 GB RAM.
>>
>> Will my terminal server scale up with this configuration? Windows uses
>> all
>> the RAM right? and my apps will work the same? ( there used to be a 4GB
>> limit, i think ) What are your hardware suggestions for this? Any
>> reason
>> to cluster?
>>
>> Can I go bigger? say 16 processors and 64 GB of RAM.
>>
>> Any thoughts are welcome, TIA..
>
>


.

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