[crstek]

Does anyone know the limit on BES user support for server. I'm sure server configs come into play, but has anyone talked to RIM about max user on 1 BES server. I currently have about 500 on one of them...

Thanks,

Lance

[syoulden]

There are a lot of variables that will affect the number of users on one BES. Although RIM throws around a figure of 2000, you have to take into account at least the following:
* Connection speed between BES server and the mail servers
* Number of mail servers it is connecting into
* Whether you are using MSDE or SQL and if it is local or remote
* Attachment server - local or remote
* Processing power of the BES server

These are some of the variables. I'm sure there are others. We try to stay to around 700 users per BES server with our Domino configuration

[mahoward]

Don't forget the political factors and CYA factors, such as: how many users are you willing to work on recovering if this server fails? I prefer less than 1000 users per server, we are also on Domino.

Technically, with a dual proc 4GB machine we began to see occasional crashes at ~1300 users, so that also comes into play.

[x14]

I'm closed to 600 and expect another 200 BB by Q1. My problem is I'm most likely going to run out of memory before I run out of CPU cycle.

Windows Server 2003 Standard Ed. SP1, Domino 6.5.4, 2 CPU, 3.25 GB Memory.

The server is running at 2.6GB RAM. I'm going to upgrade to 4GB RAM and hope it holds out. Otherwise we have to build another set of servers.

We have very high mail volume.

[Agriv8]

Noticed that this little disclaimer has started appearing in most RIM KB articles that refer to service restarts.

KB-04789 (go fetch in BB.com)

Note they mention that more than 300 users is a "large number of users" on a BES. What does that make 2000 users !!!

[Slippery]

The recomended cap for a GroupWise BES is 500...I am nowhere near that but my 50 users are working just fine. I am running a PIII with two 800 Mhz processors and 4 Gb of RAM. No slow downs or excessive processor utilization.

Bottom line, I am running a server well below the recomended specs and it is running great. I will be replacing the server in the next two months (we are growing quickly) but for now it is meeting my needs and then some.

[crstek]

Originally Posted by mahoward

Technically, with a dual proc 4GB machine we began to see occasional crashes at ~1300 users, so that also comes into play.

Good quote.. I feel we could probably max out at about 1000 users per box. They are all dual procs with 4 gb ram.... That means growth of 2100 users

[pista]

Originally Posted by Agriv8

Note they mention that more than 300 users is a "large number of users" on a BES. What does that make 2000 users !!!

Marketing! I've also seen strange things happen once we hit about 1300 users on a 4 CPU w/4GB RAM server. I'd say 1,000 user max, regardless of hardware.

[Krissy]

I keep my servers a little faster and with a lighter load than RIM reccommends anyway because the standard support answer I get first always seems to be 'add more ram' (Can you see me rolling my eyes over here??)

[itcontractorltd]

I'm currently doing some work with a team, and we are supporting around the 1500 mark on each server, running 2 BES servers on Exchange.

No performance issues as such, but nightmare as recently one of the database servers that has the BES database on had disk problems. Tried to restore from tape and that wouldn't work...yep you guessed it, thought we was going to be faced with re-activating almost 1500 users. Luckily we found some older databases and worked from that.

Ash

[hannahkat]

Another factor we've run across is the traffic load generated by your user base which can skew the baseline - we have 300 users on a GW BES which technically maxes out at 500 - however, our user traffic is equivalent to 200% for the number of users - so we've overextended our system already. We've been told to do our capacity planning on 250% x activated user base.