[Casper] Casper Digest, Vol 21, Issue 16

[Quade Boman]

Our deployment currently sits at ~ 8,500 Macs.  Our JSS is a Quad Core
3.0GHz Xserve with 16GB RAM.  I currently mirror the drives (300GB 15k
SAS) but we are moving to an internal RAID card and will set it up as a
RAID 5.  Our master file server is another Quad Core 2.8GHz Xserve with
8GB of RAM.  That server is also our primary Apple SUS.  We have at least
an Xserve G5 with 5GB of RAM in each of our 50 sites as file distribution
points.  Our JSS and master file server are each setup so they have 2 1GB
ethernet ports bonded.  The distribution points are 1Gb.  

Imaging actually goes pretty fast for us.  Our standard 10.5 image is ~
20GB.  All of our applications are broken down into separate packages.  We
can image ~ 30-35 machines at the same time and it takes about an hour. 
We go to great lengths to ensure that the imaging starts at as close to
the exact same time as possible.  This allows the AFP client to maximize
the RAM cache since each machine is getting approximately the same
information at the same time.  RAM and starting at the same time are very
important when imaging via unicast.  Staggering the imaging does not work
fast at all in numbers over 10.

Our JSS performs OK.  We have run into some issues where the connections
seem to overwhelm the server, but Jamf support has been spending a lot of
time helping us out.  I don't believe it is due to a lack of adequate
hardware.  

casper at list.jamfsoftware.com on September 10, 2008 at 8:53 AM -0700 wrote:
>
>Message: 2
>Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:46:49 -0500
>From: John Wetter <john_wetter at hopkins.k12.mn.us>
>Subject: Re: [Casper] server performances
>To: Casper List <casper at list.jamfsoftware.com>
>Message-ID: <C4ED4809.6193%john_wetter at hopkins.k12.mn.us>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>We have a deployment of about 4000 macs and this is what we use:
>
>JSS: dual proc-quad core 2.8GHz w/8GB RAM on 10.5.4
>Netboot/File serving: Dual G5 2.0GHz w/8GB RAM on 10.5.4
>2 additional Distribution points - one powerMac and one windows blade
>server running ExtremeZ-IP on a SAN.
>
>Network - gigabit fiber between schools and between closets and switches,
>10/100 to the desktop.  We have a couple all-gigabit switches that we
>will bring around for special imaging projects.
>
>We max out the main package server at about 120MB/s when imaging a bunch
>of Macbooks on a gigabit connection which is probably about the realistic
>maximum.  We never got close to this kind of performance on 10.4 and 2GB
>of RAM in the netboot/package server.  I think the RAM is the key.  AFP
>will use all the RAM you can throw at it.  When imaging a bunch of iBooks
>in a gig switch (they are 100 only), we usually max out around 80MB/s or
>so.
>
>The JSS just cruises along for us.  It's most busy when we're either
>doing a lot of imaging, or first thing in the morning when everything is
>turning on.  For scheduled tasks, we run a startup and then a 30mins
>scheduled task to give some idea of load there.
>
>-John
>
>On 9/10/08 5:34 AM, "Criss  Myers" <CMyers at uclan.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi ALL,
>
>
>
> As you people seem to have many more servers and clients than me I
>thought you'd be good people to ask about performance.
>
>
>
> I have 145 clients, being increased by 83.
>
>
> I have 1 XServe Quad core 2 x 2.8 with 2gb of ram and bonded Ethernet
>ports
>
>
> All clients and servers running 10.5.4 and casper 6.01
>
>
>
> I am using AFP for my distribution port and each mac is getting a total
>install of about 60gb (final cut studio)
>
>
>
> I am currently imaging 100 macs and the server is running at 90% cpu and
>100% ram and with a throughput of mac 54MB/sec
>
>
>
> A) is this what i should expect? or is my setup not performing well?
>
>
> B) what kind of setup do you people have to deploy how many macs and how
>big a deployment size?
>
>
> C) any advice on how to improve my set, more ram, fibre cards, drive
>setups, more servers?
>
>
>
> Regards
>
>
>
> Criss
>
>
>
>Criss Myers
>
>Senior Customer Support Analyst (Mac Services)
>
>Apple Certified Technical Coordinator v10.5
>
>LIS Business Support Team
>
>Library 301
>
>University of Central Lancashire
>
>Preston PR1 2HE
>
>Ex 5054
>
>01772 895054
>
>--
>John Wetter
>Technology Support Administrator
>Technology & Information Services
>Hopkins Public Schools
>952-988-5373
>john_wetter at hopkins.k12.mn.us
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Quade Boman  |  Beaverton School District 
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