Collaboration Between Teams

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Collaboration Between Teams - Server Configuration Documentation

This document details the "Collaboration Between Teams" server configuration, designed to provide robust and scalable infrastructure for teams needing to share resources, communicate effectively, and manage projects collaboratively. This configuration balances performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, targeting medium to large organizations.

1. Hardware Specifications

This configuration is designed around a dual-socket server platform for redundancy and increased core count. The following specifications are considered standard, with options for scaling detailed further below.

Component Specification Details
CPU Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 (32 Cores/64 Threads per CPU) Base Clock: 2.0 GHz, Turbo Boost: 3.4 GHz, Cache: 48MB L3 Cache per CPU, TDP: 205W. Supports Advanced Vector Extensions 512 (AVX-512).
Motherboard Supermicro X12DPG-QT6 Dual Socket LGA 4189, Supports up to 8TB DDR4 ECC Registered Memory, 7x PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, 2x 10GbE LAN ports, IPMI 2.0 Remote Management. See Server Motherboard Selection Criteria.
RAM 256GB DDR4 ECC Registered 3200MHz 16 x 16GB DIMMs. Configured in a quad-channel configuration per CPU for optimal bandwidth. Supports Memory Error Detection and Correction (ECC).
Storage - OS/Boot 2 x 480GB Enterprise SSD (SATA) - RAID 1 Intel Optane technology recommended for improved responsiveness. Utilizes RAID 1 for data redundancy.
Storage - Application/Data 8 x 4TB Enterprise SAS 12Gbps 7.2K RPM HDD - RAID 6 High capacity for collaborative data storage. Utilizes RAID 6 providing dual-drive failure tolerance. Consider NVMe SSDs for performance-critical applications.
RAID Controller Adaptec SmartRAID 316i Hardware RAID controller supporting RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, and JBOD. See RAID Controller Technologies for details.
Network Interface Card (NIC) 2 x 10GbE SFP+ Intel X710-DA4. Supports Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) for increased bandwidth and redundancy. See Network Interface Card Considerations.
Power Supply Unit (PSU) 2 x 1600W 80+ Platinum Redundant Provides ample power and redundancy. Supports High-Efficiency Power Supplies for reduced energy consumption.
Chassis 4U Rackmount Supermicro 847E16-R1200B. Designed for optimal airflow and component accessibility. See Server Chassis Form Factors.
Cooling Redundant Hot-Swappable Fans Multiple high-speed fans with automatic speed control for efficient cooling. See Server Cooling Solutions.
Remote Management IPMI 2.0 with Dedicated NIC Allows remote power control, KVM access, and system monitoring. See IPMI and Remote Server Management.

Scaling Options:

  • **CPU:** Upgradable to Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 (40 cores/80 threads) for increased processing power.
  • **RAM:** Scalable to 1TB using additional DIMMs.
  • **Storage:** Additional SAS/SATA HDDs or NVMe SSDs can be added as needed. Consider Storage Area Networks (SANs) for large-scale storage requirements.
  • **Networking:** Upgrade to 25GbE or 40GbE NICs for higher bandwidth.

2. Performance Characteristics

The "Collaboration Between Teams" configuration is designed for sustained workloads and concurrent user access. Performance has been benchmarked with a variety of tools and simulated workloads.

  • **CPU Performance:** Using Geekbench 5, the dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 configuration achieves a multi-core score of approximately 78,000 - 82,000. This indicates strong performance for heavily threaded applications. See CPU Benchmarking and Analysis.
  • **Storage Performance:** RAID 6 array (8 x 4TB SAS) delivers sustained read/write speeds of approximately 800 MB/s - 1200 MB/s. Switching to NVMe SSDs (e.g., 4 x 1.92TB) increases these speeds to 3,000 MB/s - 5,000 MB/s. See Storage Performance Metrics.
  • **Network Performance:** 10GbE NICs provide a theoretical maximum throughput of 10 Gbps. Real-world throughput, with overhead, typically reaches 8-9 Gbps. See Network Performance Testing.
  • **Virtual Machine Density (VMware vSphere):** This configuration can comfortably support approximately 40-60 virtual machines (depending on resource allocation per VM) running common collaboration applications such as file servers, email servers, and communication platforms. See Server Virtualization Best Practices.
  • **Database Performance (PostgreSQL):** Running a PostgreSQL database for a collaborative project management tool, the server demonstrates an average transaction rate of 1,500-2,000 transactions per second under moderate load. See Database Server Optimization.

Real-World Performance (Simulated Collaboration Workload):

A simulated workload mimicking 100 concurrent users accessing a file server, email server, and video conferencing platform showed the following:

  • **Average CPU Utilization:** 60-70%
  • **Average Memory Utilization:** 75-85%
  • **Average Disk I/O:** 60-80%
  • **Network Latency:** <5ms

These results demonstrate the configuration's ability to handle a significant load without significant performance degradation.

3. Recommended Use Cases

This server configuration is well-suited for the following applications:

  • **File Sharing and Collaboration:** Serving as a central file server using protocols like SMB/CIFS, NFS, or WebDAV for teams to share documents, spreadsheets, and other files.
  • **Email Server:** Hosting an email server (e.g., Microsoft Exchange, Postfix) for internal team communication.
  • **Project Management Software:** Running project management applications such as Jira, Asana, or Microsoft Project Server.
  • **Version Control Systems:** Hosting version control systems like Git or Subversion for collaborative software development.
  • **Video Conferencing:** Supporting video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Webex. (Consider GPU acceleration for larger meetings). See Video Conferencing Server Requirements.
  • **Intranet/Wiki Hosting:** Hosting an internal intranet or wiki platform (e.g., Confluence, MediaWiki).
  • **Database Server:** Supporting databases utilized by collaborative applications.
  • **Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI):** Providing a virtual desktop environment for remote teams.

4. Comparison with Similar Configurations

The "Collaboration Between Teams" configuration offers a balance between performance and cost. Here's a comparison with alternative configurations:

Configuration CPU RAM Storage Network Estimated Cost Ideal For
**Entry-Level Collaboration** Dual Intel Xeon Silver 4310 64GB DDR4 4 x 2TB SATA HDD (RAID 10) 1GbE $8,000 - $12,000 Small teams (under 25 users) with basic file sharing and email needs.
**Collaboration Between Teams (This Configuration)** Dual Intel Xeon Gold 6338 256GB DDR4 8 x 4TB SAS HDD (RAID 6) 10GbE $18,000 - $25,000 Medium to large teams (25-100 users) requiring robust performance for file sharing, email, project management, and video conferencing.
**High-End Collaboration** Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 512GB DDR4 8 x 3.84TB NVMe SSD (RAID 10) 25GbE $35,000 - $50,000+ Large enterprises (100+ users) with demanding workloads and high performance requirements. Supports extensive virtualization and high-bandwidth applications.

Key Differences:

  • **CPU:** The entry-level configuration offers lower processing power, suitable for light workloads. The high-end configuration provides significantly more processing power for demanding applications.
  • **RAM:** Sufficient RAM is crucial for handling concurrent users and virtual machines.
  • **Storage:** SAS HDDs offer better reliability and performance than SATA HDDs. NVMe SSDs provide the highest performance but come at a higher cost. The RAID level impacts data redundancy and performance.
  • **Networking:** 10GbE provides significantly faster network speeds compared to 1GbE, improving file transfer and application responsiveness.

5. Maintenance Considerations

Proper maintenance is crucial to ensure the long-term reliability and performance of the "Collaboration Between Teams" server.

  • **Cooling:** The server generates significant heat. Ensure adequate airflow in the server room and regularly clean dust from fans and heatsinks. Monitor temperatures using Server Monitoring Tools and set up alerts for overheating. Consider liquid cooling for extremely high-density deployments.
  • **Power Requirements:** The dual 1600W PSUs provide redundancy but require a dedicated power circuit with sufficient amperage. Ensure the power circuit is properly grounded. Use a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to protect against power outages.
  • **RAID Management:** Regularly monitor the RAID array health using the Adaptec SmartRAID management software. Replace failing drives promptly to maintain data redundancy. Implement a Data Backup and Recovery Plan to protect against catastrophic data loss.
  • **Firmware Updates:** Keep the server firmware (BIOS, RAID controller, NIC) up to date to benefit from bug fixes and performance improvements.
  • **Security:** Implement strong security measures, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits. See Server Security Best Practices.
  • **Operating System Updates:** Keep the operating system and all installed software up to date with the latest security patches and updates.
  • **Regular Log Reviews:** Periodically review system logs for errors or unusual activity.
  • **Physical Security:** Secure the server room with physical access controls.
  • **Preventative Maintenance Schedule:** Implement a documented preventative maintenance schedule for tasks such as cleaning, visual inspections, and component checks. See Server Preventative Maintenance Checklist.


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.* ⚠️