Capacity and performance

The computer that hosts the SafeLinx Server must be powerful enough to handle the number of concurrent connections it services. It must also have enough disk space to store logging and accounting records.

Capacity

Before you install, ensure that the host computer has enough storage capacity to support the SafeLinx Server. Consider the SafeLinx Server's capacity requirements for both virtual storage and disk storage.

Virtual storage is the sum of random access memory (RAM) and the paging space that is configured for the hard disk. The more virtual storage you can allocate to the SafeLinx Server and access manager, the better they work. The SafeLinx Server uses hard disk storage for accounting records and log files.

Approximately 15 MB of virtual storage is required for the first SafeLinx Administrator logged on to the access manager and then 5 MB for each SafeLinx Administrator thereafter. The 15 MB figure does not apply to the SafeLinx Server on Windows systems.

On Windows Server, the SafeLinx Server uses approximately 64 MB of virtual storage, regardless of the number of users or mobile devices that are connected. On all other operating systems, the SafeLinx Server uses approximately 35 MB of virtual storage regardless of the number of connected users or mobile devices.

Approximately 35 KB of virtual storage is required for each connected user or mobile device.

The SafeLinx Server stores accounting records for each packet that is exchanged between the mobile access services and a SafeLinx Client or mobile device. Each packet can generate a 24-byte accounting record. In field testing, a typical active account produced 250-500 packets per day. This level of activity requires 6-12 KB of disk space for each SafeLinx Client or mobile device daily.

The SafeLinx Server also requires disk space for extended logging of its internal events. Log files can use several megabytes of disk space within a few minutes. A standard configuration that logs only errors and warnings might add several KB to the size of a log file each week.

Ensure that you have sufficient space to install and operate the SafeLinx Server and accommodate file system storage. On Linux, the default logging file system is /var. On Windows, logs are stored in the logs subdirectory of the SafeLinx Server installation directory. You can specify a different location to ensure sufficient space.

Performance

Several factors can determine the performance level of the SafeLinx Server. The following list enumerates some of the factors that can affect SafeLinx Server performance:
  • The available system resources that are determined by the memory and computing power of the system.
  • The other applications that are running on the system.
  • The number of users who are concurrently connected to the SafeLinx Server.
  • The type and number of application transactions that use the wireless connection.

Although the SafeLinx Server and SafeLinx Administrator can run on the same computer, extra memory and processing power might be required to deliver the expected level of performance.

Installing the SafeLinx Server on a multiprocessor host is one way to improve performance. You can also increase performance by grouping multiple SafeLinx Servers in a cluster. In a Connection Manager cluster, you designate each node as a principal or subordinate node. The nodes then distribute the workload among themselves, efficiently dispersing and servicing communication requests. For more information about clustering, see Cluster manager and Configuring cluster nodes.

For general information about the hardware needs of deployments that support HTTP access services, see the technote, General Sizing Guide for HCL SafeLinx's HTTP Access Services.