Contact Information for System Administrators
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- Contact Information for System Administrators - Server Configuration Documentation
Introduction
This document details the hardware and performance characteristics of the “Contact Information” server configuration designed to host a critical contact database and associated web services. This system prioritizes data integrity, availability, and rapid access for internal personnel. This document is intended for System Administrators responsible for deployment, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Refer to Server Naming Conventions for details on server hostnames and associated naming schemes. This configuration is designated internally as "CI-Server-01" and is part of the broader Internal Infrastructure Overview.
1. Hardware Specifications
The "Contact Information" server is built on a high-availability foundation, utilizing enterprise-grade components to ensure reliability and performance. The following table outlines the detailed hardware specifications:
| Component | Specification | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6338 (32 Cores, 64 Threads per CPU) - Total 64 Cores / 128 Threads | Base Clock Speed | 2.0 GHz | Turbo Boost Max 3.0 | 3.4 GHz | L3 Cache | 48 MB per CPU | Memory | 256 GB DDR4 ECC Registered RDIMM 3200MHz (16 x 16GB) | Memory Configuration | 8 Channels | Storage - OS/Boot | 2 x 480GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD (RAID 1) | Storage - Database | 8 x 4TB SAS 12Gbps 7.2K RPM Enterprise HDD (RAID 6) - Utilizing Hardware RAID Controller | RAID Controller | Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9300-8i with 8GB NV Cache | Network Interface Card (NIC) | 2 x Intel X710-DA4 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ | Network Teaming | Active/Active with LACP | Power Supply Unit (PSU) | 2 x 1100W 80+ Platinum Redundant Power Supplies | Server Chassis | 2U Rackmount Server | Remote Management | IPMI 2.0 Compliant with Dedicated NIC | Operating System | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 (Latest Patches Applied) - See Operating System Hardening Guide |
Further details regarding component selection are available in the Hardware Procurement Policy. The use of ECC Registered memory is crucial for data integrity, as documented in Memory Error Handling. The RAID configuration provides both redundancy and performance benefits, as described in the RAID Configuration Standard.
2. Performance Characteristics
The "Contact Information" server has undergone rigorous testing to establish baseline performance metrics. These tests were conducted under controlled conditions, simulating typical workload scenarios. Performance data is regularly updated and available on the Performance Monitoring Dashboard.
- CPU Performance: Using the SPEC CPU 2017 benchmark suite, the server achieved an average SPECrate score of 1450 for integer workloads and 1820 for floating-point workloads. These scores demonstrate the server's robust processing capabilities.
- Memory Performance: Memory latency was measured at approximately 65ns, and bandwidth exceeded 80 GB/s, indicating optimal memory access speeds.
- Storage Performance (OS/Boot SSD): Sequential read speeds averaged 3500 MB/s, and sequential write speeds averaged 3000 MB/s. Random read/write IOPS were measured at 500k/250k respectively.
- Storage Performance (Database HDD RAID 6): Sequential read speeds averaged 500 MB/s, and sequential write speeds averaged 400 MB/s. Random read/write IOPS were measured at 10k/5k respectively. Performance is monitored using Storage Performance Monitoring Tools.
- Network Performance: Throughput tests using iperf3 consistently showed line-rate performance (10 Gbps) for both NICs.
- Database Query Performance: Using a representative dataset of 1 million contact records, typical queries (e.g., search by name, email, department) completed within 50-200 milliseconds. This performance is crucial for a responsive user experience. Database performance is detailed in the Database Performance Tuning Guide.
The following table compares the performance of this configuration with two other common server configurations:
| Configuration | CPU | RAM | Storage | Estimated Query Time (1M Records) | Cost (Approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CI-Server-01 (This Configuration) | 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6338 | 256GB DDR4 | 2x480GB SSD (RAID 1) + 8x4TB HDD (RAID 6) | 50-200ms | $18,000 |
| Standard Web Server | 2 x Intel Xeon Silver 4310 | 128GB DDR4 | 2x960GB SSD (RAID 1) | 300-500ms | $10,000 |
| High-Performance Database Server | 2 x Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 | 512GB DDR4 | 10x8TB SAS HDD (RAID 10) + 2x1.92TB NVMe SSD (Caching) | 20-50ms | $30,000 |
3. Recommended Use Cases
This server configuration is ideally suited for the following applications:
- **Centralized Contact Database:** The primary purpose. Storing and managing contact information for all internal employees and external partners.
- **Web Application Hosting:** Hosting the web application that provides access to the contact database. The server is capable of handling moderate web traffic. See Web Application Deployment Guide.
- **API Gateway:** Providing a secure API endpoint for accessing contact data from other internal systems.
- **Internal Directory Services:** Supplementing existing directory services (e.g., Active Directory) with specific contact information not readily available elsewhere.
- **Reporting and Analytics:** Generating reports and performing analytics on contact data.
This configuration is *not* recommended for:
- **High-Volume Transactional Databases:** The HDD RAID 6 array is not optimized for extremely high transaction rates.
- **Resource-Intensive Simulations:** While the CPU is powerful, it is not optimized for specialized scientific computing workloads.
- **Large-Scale Video Encoding/Decoding:** Insufficient GPU resources.
4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
As highlighted in the performance table above, this configuration strikes a balance between performance, reliability, and cost. Alternatives considered included:
- **All-Flash Array:** While an all-flash array would provide significantly faster storage performance, the cost was deemed prohibitive for the expected workload. The hybrid approach (SSD for OS/Boot and HDD for database) offers a good compromise. Refer to Storage Technology Evaluation Report.
- **Higher-End CPUs:** The Intel Xeon Platinum series offers higher core counts and clock speeds, but the incremental performance gain did not justify the additional cost.
- **Larger Memory Capacity:** While 512GB of RAM would provide more headroom for caching and future growth, 256GB was deemed sufficient for the current and projected workload. Memory usage is closely monitored using System Resource Monitoring.
- **Different RAID Configurations:** RAID 10 was considered for the database storage, but RAID 6 was chosen for its superior storage efficiency and acceptable performance. RAID selection is governed by the Data Protection Policy.
The key differentiator of this configuration is its focus on data integrity and availability. The use of ECC Registered memory, redundant power supplies, and a hardware RAID controller ensures that the contact database remains accessible even in the event of component failures.
5. Maintenance Considerations
Proper maintenance is critical to ensuring the long-term reliability and performance of the "Contact Information" server.
- **Cooling:** The server is housed in a climate-controlled data center with redundant cooling systems. Temperature and humidity are continuously monitored. Ensure adequate airflow around the server chassis. See Data Center Environmental Controls.
- **Power Requirements:** The server draws approximately 800W under full load. Each power supply is capable of providing 1100W. Two separate power circuits are required. UPS protection is essential. Refer to Power Infrastructure Standards.
- **RAID Maintenance:** Regularly monitor the status of the RAID array using the MegaRAID SAS management software. Replace failed drives promptly. Perform periodic consistency checks. See RAID Maintenance Procedures.
- **Operating System Updates:** Apply security patches and updates to Red Hat Enterprise Linux on a regular basis, following the Patch Management Policy.
- **Database Maintenance:** Perform regular database backups, index rebuilds, and statistics updates. See Database Backup and Recovery Procedures.
- **Log Monitoring:** Monitor system logs for errors and warnings. Configure alerts for critical events. Utilize a centralized logging system (e.g., ELK Stack). Refer to Log Management Best Practices.
- **Hardware Monitoring:** Utilize IPMI and other hardware monitoring tools to track CPU temperature, fan speeds, and power supply status.
- **Physical Security:** The server is located in a secure data center with restricted access. See Data Center Security Protocols.
- **Regular Backups:** Full system backups are performed nightly and stored offsite. Incremental backups are performed hourly. Backup retention policies are detailed in the Data Backup and Recovery Policy.
It is essential that all maintenance tasks are documented in the Change Management System. Any planned downtime should be communicated to stakeholders in advance. ```
Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️