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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Microsoft Dynamics RMS (Archived) / RMS Hardware requireme...
Microsoft Dynamics RMS (Archived)

RMS Hardware requirements for retail chain

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Posted on by Ricky42 60

We are using RMS 2.0 for a while with just over 10 stores and a server at the warehouse (head quarter). We are soon expanding to over 15 stores with around 150,000 products. The current server (W2k3 SBS) is constantly hanging for up to 5 minutes during transactions. We tried to speed up the server, using different raid controllers and disks, SQL tuning etc. but the HQ server process still shows in the Windows Task Manager:  "... not responding'.

Tracing the processes, it seems these 'not responding' problems happen always in connection with a database operation. The MB/s numbers are getting higher (> 60MB/s) and then the HQ Server stops responding for a while.

We need to source new hardware, but the RMS Implementation Guide is not all that helpful.

If I could get some 'real' figures from the community what kind of server is recommended, that would be appreciated.

I presume the main focus must be set on the MS-SQL server performance.

I am right now thinking of using two separate servers (also for redundancy in case of one server is down). One would run the SQL server, the other one the HQ Server. As for the disk subsystem, either RAID 1, 5, 10 or ... and either SATA 2 or 3 or SAS disks with maybe high rpms? Maybe blade server? or ... Any particular memory requirements? We have so far not seen more than 4GB in use.

Performance tuning: I know that I should have the SQL transaction log on a different disk or partition that the rest of the database, but what else is recommended to have a high performance RMS server and still at an affordable price? (refer to: tuning-microsoft-sql-server-2005-performance-wp)

The new systems will use Windows Server 2008 ...

Any hints are appreciated!

 

*This post is locked for comments

  • Jeff @ Check Point Software Profile Picture
    Jeff @ Check Point ... 13,380 on at
    Re: RMS Hardware requirements for retail chain

    AFAIK, the comm server only makes sense when you have a lot, 20 or more, connecting at the exact same time.

  • Ricky42 Profile Picture
    Ricky42 60 on at
    Re: RMS Hardware requirements for retail chain

    Hi Jeff,

    Thanks for the reply and you suggestions!

    With transactions I meant MS-SQL transactions (the log is even called transaction log). More or less all SQL access (read and write) is slow.

    Each of the 10+ stores have between 1 and 3 registers with a total of about 22 registers. They all use W7 or XP and MSSQL Express. The problem is that the head quarter server is freezing for up to 5 minutes. Anyhow, I am now sourcing the hardware/OS to get proper server at the head office. I tend to go with 2011 SBS with the 2 server concept. Main server and SQL server, but I would also like to have the setup as a redundant setup that the two servers can also run on a single server.

    Most likely we would not use Exchange or Sharepoint on the new servers, but would use the old 2003 server for these services.

    Is there any advantage of having another 'communication' PC/server between the stores and the head office servers?

    Thanks again!

  • Jeff @ Check Point Software Profile Picture
    Jeff @ Check Point ... 13,380 on at
    Re: RMS Hardware requirements for retail chain

    Ricky42,

    We need more info.

    Why are you mentioning transactions and HQ in the same sentence, they are not related at all.  

    Let's start;

    How many Registers/Manager stations do the stores have?  For up to 8 machines, we setup Win7 Pro 64 bit as the "server" machine that can also act as a lightly used Manager station with HQ Client.  After that, on up to 18 machines, that Win 7 machine is dedicated to HQ Client, serving and backups.  We use RAID1 in those machines, start with 8g of RAM, dual core processors, 7200 rpm drives for storage and 2 TB 5400 rpm drives for BMR (bare metal recovery) backups.  The stores also have offline storage in the cloud, a backup of the backups.  The stores are running SQL2k8R2 Express 64 bit and have a database capacity of 10g.

    At the HQ, the rules are similar, depending on the number of stores that will connect to it.and how frequently. Win 7 64 bit is used for up to 15-25 stores connecting hourly.  That all depends on how much info is being sent/received to each store.  Its running RAID10 (forget about 5), minimum of 16g of RAM, quad cores running SQL2k8R2 Standard.  More than 15 stores we move to either SBS or Win Server Standard.  SBS is only if the enterprise needs Exchange or SharePoint.  You do realize that on SBS, MS has recommended running SQL on a separate machine since 2003, right?  The license for the SBS version of SQL Standard and the additional Server is included in the SBS Premium.  Again 2TB 5400 rpm backup drive with BMR software and its also sends it backups to the cloud.

    For under 10 stores, that Win7 HQ server can also be a lightly used Manager station too.  For those, we drop the RAM back to 8g and RAID1 with SQL Express.

    FWIW, we always have the "Server" machines running the HQ Client and HQ Server.  The suggestion to run it on a separate machine has never been proving to us that anything runs faster.

     

     

  • Ricky42 Profile Picture
    Ricky42 60 on at
    Re: RMS Hardware requirements for retail chain

    Thanks Mike!

    Looks like we will also go SATA.

    Any chance you can elaborate on the separate Comm server for HQ-Store communication.

    Nevertheless, it still seems that the RMS hardware selection is not a well defined process. It's more like 'bigger the better' within the budget. But I would like to know what kind of response times I can expect with what kind of server hardware.

  • Mike Haugen Profile Picture
    Mike Haugen 265 on at
    Re: RMS Hardware requirements for retail chain

    I'm not even in the tech department; I was a 25-year Retail guy who is now the "UI" (Sales) between our Tech staff and clients. But I can tell you some of the actual implementation and upgrade details that have worked well recently.

    The separate HQ app and SQL servers are a good idea, the bigger operations we work with have. Do you have full SQL, or are you using the SQL Express that came with RMS? (don't get Workgroup coz it only supports 3GB RAM I think, get STD)

    You can't have too much RAM on your server (or too many cores or too much speed). Max out to your budget.

    3-5 RAID 5 drives, SAS is great but most have gone with SATA coz of cost and been fine.

    A separate Comm server for HQ-Store communication (just a dummy PC is OK).

    You can e-mail me if u want and I wll send u any more stuff I have seen. You should definitely start renewing your BRAP or whatever plan you use thru us if u r not dealing with your BP much coz u can get a great Utility bundle free that helps you do a lot of Store-based functions from HQ.

    There is also an app u can get that will direct the stores data instantly out over the web to HQ, giving mgmt fast access and allowing u to poll much less frequently, but it might be a bit $$ - I will have to check.

    mikeh@retailtechnologyexperts.com

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