IBM R5 manual Consider Clustering, Consider Partitioning, Lotus NotesBench

Lotus Domino Server R5 Implementation Guide June 18, 2001

additional users probably won't be equivalent to the resources required for an equal number of your current users. For example, per-user memory requirements decrease as the number of users increases, because fixed memory overhead is divided across more users.

Consider Clustering

Clustering is the premier feature of the Domino Enterprise Server. Clustering gives you dynamic load balancing, which automatically optimizes resource utilization across the cluster. Clustering also provides failover for mail and applications, including Web applications. You can cluster any combination of R4 and R5 servers, across any mix of supported Domino platforms. And you can cluster partitioned servers alongside non-partitioned servers.

Consider Partitioning

Partitioning can improve the resource utilization of high-end Domino systems, however, it may also require additional hardware resources to properly implement transaction logging. It allows you to distribute servers by department or function while retaining the benefits of consolidation. Some organizations even use partitioning to create "service level options" (i.e., putting a few key executives on one partition and the masses on another). As a general rule, the number of partitions on a system should never exceed the number of CPUs.

Know When to Consolidate and When to Distribute

Unless you have some compelling reason to do otherwise, choose consolidation over distribution as a growth strategy. Consolidation invariably reduces cost and improves reliability: fewer servers mean less complex server topologies, and fewer server-to-server activities: less network traffic, less replication, and less mail transmitted between servers.

When would you want to distribute servers instead of consolidating them? You may have geographic distribution requirements where dedicated servers handling local users and data are the lowest-cost solution. Or your deployment may be comparatively small but growing fast, so adding more servers to accommodate new users or distribute functions lets you leverage current investments better. IBM has developed a Red Book on this subject, entitled IBM Servers and Lotus Domino: Centralize and Distribute Enterprise Architecture Planning, available at http://www.redbooks.ibm.com.

C. Performance and Capacity Planning Tools and Resources from Lotus

To help you appropriately plan for your deployment, Lotus provides:

ŸTools and benchmarks from Lotus and RS/6000 that enable you to monitor, manage, and optimize Domino Server performance.

ŸSupport resources that help you address the performance in your environment.

ŸKnowledge transfer in the form of course packs and online resources to help you understand the issues involved.

ŸDomino Performance, Capacity Planning, and High Availability Web site that provides current detailed information about performance and capacity planning, tools, hardware benchmarks, white papers, and interactive discussion forums. Visit http://www.lotus.com/performance for more information.

Lotus NotesBench

Lotus and RS/6000 use NotesBench, a standard benchmark for Domino, to generate and provide performance information. NotesBench uses standardized workloads with a strict testing protocol on various Domino/Notes platforms and configurations.

Customers can, in turn, use the benchmark information while evaluating RS/6000 and pSeries models, selecting configurations, and planning against resource budgets. Business Partners who are members of the NotesBench Consortium, and have been trained in the use of NotesBench tools can create

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