We’re trying to figure out the best way to host and license an application currently being developed in sql 2005:
Description as follows:
2-3 key users at the client office loading info onto the application (ftp file uploads etc).
Hundreds of users querying the standard app functionality – reading MIS reports etc. (I believe up to 200 different IP’s will access the web site via browser per month, although concurrent sessions will rarely go above 20).
There are 2 databases, one currently weighing in at approx. 60Mb and one at 3Mb
The site is approx 5Mb in size, but may swell as files are generated and ftp import reports are created.
We’ll also need to be able to set up regular jobs on the database that run overnight and setup alerts on the jobs that email us if they fail.
The developer will also need to be able to setup regular re-indexing of tables as needed.
Apparently and according to the developer, the app needs to run on a dual processor machine.
The problem is, I’m totally confused regarding the MS sql license type we need to buy and am worried we’re going to make a big mistake – either in terms of how many people can use the system, or how fast it will run. (or of course we could just throw money down the drain – to be avoided!)
Unfortunately I’ve had more answers to the CAL ?v- server argument than I can shake a stick at.
Some say that one CAL is needed for every user of the system.
My sense is that one CAL is needed for every user that is logged on. So if, for example, 20 users are on at any one time then we’d need 20 CALs.
The way I believe it works is that a CAL means a working thread. So if we only had one CAL, then all website jobs that needed an sql connection, which is all of them, would be in that one queue and processed in turn ? hence slowly! (But would this ‘slowly’ be material?)
So does it mean that the more CALs you have, the more jobs can be executed in parallel?
If so, the quickest option would be for each person logged in to effectively have their own CAL. (Back to 20 CALs)
Then we come to the setup of the server with regards to processors. The developer says we could limit the SQL software to just use one processor only (ok with 20 CALs) however this would effectively halve the speed of the website, as the majority of the work is done within the SQL and so it would be best to let it take all the processors. (Now we need 40 CALs?)
If somebody could simplify my life here I would be most grateful.
Thanks
David
