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HOW MUCH MEMORY DO YOU NEED?
Perhaps you already know what it's like to work on a computer that doesn't have
quite enough memory. You can hear the hard drive operating more frequently and
the "hour glass" or "wrist watch" cursor symbol appears on the screen for longer
periods of time. Things can run more slowly at times, memory errors can occur
more frequently, and sometimes you can't launch an application or a file without
first closing or quitting another.
So, how do you determine if you have enough memory, or if you would benefit
from more? And if you do need more, how much more? The fact is, the right
amount of memory depends on the type of system you have, the type of work
you're doing, and the software applications you're using. Because the right amount
of memory is likely to be different for a desktop computer than for a server, we've
divided this section into two parts - one for each type of system.
MEMORY REQUIREMENTS FOR A DESKTOP COMPUTER
If you're using a desktop computer, memory requirements depend on the computer's
operating system and the application software you're using. Today's word processing
and spreadsheet applications require as little as 32MB of memory to run. However,
software and operating system developers continue to extend the capabilities of their
products, which usually means greater memory requirements. Today, developers
typically assume a minimum memory configuration of 64MB. Systems used for
graphic arts, publishing, and multimedia call for at least 128MB of memory and it's
common for such systems to require 256MB or more for best performance.
The chart on the next page provides basic guidelines to help you decide how much
memory is optimal for your desktop computer. The chart is divided by operating
system and by different kinds of work. Find the operating system you're using on
your computer, then look for the descriptions of work that most closely match the
kind of work you do.
DESKTOP MEMORY MAP
WINDOWS® 2000 PROFESSIONAL
Windows 2000
Professional runs software applications faster. Notebook- ready and designed
with the future in mind, Windows 2000 Professional allows users to take
advantage of a full- range of features today. Windows 2000 Professional is
future- ready and promises to run today's and tomorrow's applications better.
Baseline: 64MB - 128MB
Optimal: 128MB - 512MB |
| Administrative & Service |
Light- Word processing, email, data- entry |
64MB - 96MB |
| Medium- Fax /communications, database administration, spreadsheets; >2 applications open at a time |
64MB - 128MB |
| Heavy- Complex documents, accounting, business graphics, presentation software, network connectivity |
96MB - 256MB |
| Executives & Analysts |
Light- Proposals, reports, spreadsheets, business graphics, databases, scheduling, presentations |
64MB - 96MB |
| Medium- Complex presentations, sales/ market analysis, project management, Internet access |
96MB - 128MB |
| Heavy- Statistical applications, large databases, research/ technical analysis, complex presentations, video conferencing |
128MB - 512MB |
| Engineers&Designers |
Light- Page layout, 2 - 4 color line drawings, simple image manipulation, simple graphics |
96MB - 128MB |
| Medium- 2D CAD, rendering, multimedia presentations, simple photo- editing, Web development |
128MB - 512MB |
| Heavy- Animation, complex photo- editing, real- time video, 3D CAD, solid modeling, finite element analysis |
256MB - 1GB |
WINDOWS® 98
Windows 98 requires 16 - 32MB to run basic applications. Tests show 45 - 65%
performance improvements at 64MB and beyond.
Baseline: 32MB - 64MB
Optimal: 128MB - 256MB |
| Students |
Light- Word processing, basic financial management, email and other light Internet use |
32MB - 64MB |
| Medium- Home office applications, games, Internet surfing, downloading images, spreadsheets, presentations |
64MB - 128MB |
| Heavy- Multimedia use such as video, graphics, music, voice recognition, design, complex images |
128MB - 384MB |
| Home Users |
Light- Word processing, basic financial management, email and other light Internet use |
32MB - 48MB |
| Medium- Home office applications, games, Internet surfing, downloading images, spreadsheets, presentations |
48MB - 64MB |
| Heavy- Multimedia use such as video, graphics, music, voice recognition, design, complex images |
64MB - 128MB |
LINUX®
The Linux operating system is quickly gaining popularity as an alternative to
Microsoft Windows. It includes true multitasking, virtual memory, shared
libraries, demand loading, proper memory management, TCP/ IP networking, and
other features consistent with Unix- type systems.
Baseline: 48MB - 112MB
Optimal: 112MB - 512MB |
| Administrative&Service |
Light- Word processing, email, data- entry |
48MB - 80MB |
| Medium- Fax /communications, database administration, spreadsheets; >2 applications open at a time |
48MB - 112MB |
| Heavy- Complex documents, accounting, business graphics, presentation software, network connectivity |
80MB - 240MB |
| Executives&Analysts |
Light- Proposals, reports, spreadsheets, business graphics, databases, scheduling, presentations |
48MB - 80MB |
| Medium- Complex presentations, sales/ market analysis, project management, Internet access |
80MB - 112MB |
| Heavy- Statistical applications, large databases, research/ technical analysis, complex presentations, video conferencing |
112MB - 512MB |
| Engineers&Designers |
Light- Page layout, 2 - 4 color line drawings, simple image manipulation, simple graphics |
80MB - 112MB |
| Medium- 2D CAD, rendering, multimedia presentations, simple photo- editing, Web development |
112MB - 512MB |
| Heavy- Animation, complex photo- editing, real- time video, 3D CAD, solid modeling, finite element analysis |
240MB - 1GB |
MACINTOSH™ OS
The Macintosh operating system manages memory in substantially different ways
than other systems. Still, System 9.0 users will find that 48MB is a bare
minimum. When using PowerMac ® applications with Internet connectivity, plan
on a range between 64 and 128MB as a minimum.
Baseline: 48MB - 64MB
Optimal: 128MB - 512MB |
| Administrative&Service |
Light- Word processing, email, data- entry |
48MB - 64MB |
| Medium- Fax /communications, database administration, spreadsheets; >2 applications open at a time |
64MB - 96MB |
| Heavy- Complex documents, accounting, business graphics, presentation software, network connectivity |
96MB - 128MB |
| Executives&Analysts |
Light- Proposals, reports, spreadsheets, business graphics, databases, scheduling, presentations |
64MB - 256MB |
| Medium- Complex presentations, sales/ market analysis, project management, Internet access |
128MB - 1GB |
| Heavy- Statistical applications, large databases, research/ technical analysis, complex presentations, video conferencing |
96MB - 128MB |
| Engineers&Designers |
Light- Page layout, 2 - 4 color line drawings, simple image manipulation, simple graphics |
128MB - 512MB |
| Medium- 2D CAD, rendering, multimedia presentations, simple photo- editing, Web development |
256MB - 1GB |
| Heavy- Animation, complex photo- editing, real- time video, 3D CAD, solid modeling, finite element analysis |
512MB - 2GB |
* Please Note: These figures reflect work done in a typical desktop environment.
Higher-end workstation tasks may require up to 4GB. Naturally, a chart such as this
evolves as memory needs and trends change. Over time, developers of software and
operating systems will continue to add features and functionality to their products.
This will continue to drive the demand for more memory. More complex character sets,
like Kanji, may require more memory than the standard Roman based (English) character
sets.
SERVER MEMORY REQUIREMENTS
How can you tell when a server requires more memory? Quite often, the users of the
network are good indicators. If network-related activity such as email, shared
appli-cations, or printing slows down, they'll probably let their Network
Administrator know. Here are a few proactive strategies that can be used to gauge
whether or not a server has sufficient memory:
- Monitor server disk activity. If disk swapping is detected, it is usually a result of
inadequate memory.
- Most servers have a utility that monitors CPU, memory, and disk utilization.
Review this at peak usage times to measure the highest spikes in demand.
Once it's determined that a server does need more memory, there are many factors
to consider when deciding on how much is enough:
What functions does the server perform (application, communication, remote
access, email, Web, file, multimedia, print, database)?
Some servers hold a large amount of information in memory at once, while oth-ers
process information sequentially. For example, a typical large database server
does a lot of data processing; with more memory, such a server would likely run
much faster because more of the records it needs for searches and queries could
be held in memory - that is, "at the ready." On the other hand, compared to a
database server, a typical file server can perform efficiently with less memory
because its primary job is simply to transfer information rather than to process it.
What operating system does the server use?
Each server operating system manages memory differently. For example, a
network operating system (NOS) such as the Novell operating system handles
information much differently than an application-oriented system such as
Windows NT. Windows NT's richer interface requires more memory, while the
traditional Novell functions of file and print serving require less memory.
How many users access the server at one time?
Most servers are designed and configured to support a certain number of users
at one time. Recent tests show that this number is directly proportional to the
amount of memory in the server. As soon as the number of users exceeds
maximum capacity, the server resorts to using hard disk space as virtual memory,
and performance drops sharply. In recent studies with Windows NT, additional
memory allowed an application server to increase by several times the number of
users supported while maintaining the same level of performance.
What kind and how many processors are installed on the server?
Memory and processors affect server performance differently, but they work hand
in hand. Adding memory allows more information to be handled at one time,
while adding processors allows the information to be processed faster. So, if you
add processing power to a system, additional memory will enable the processors
to perform at their full potential.
How critical is the server's response time?
In some servers, such as Web or e-commerce servers, response time directly
affects the customer experience and hence revenue. In these cases, some IT
Managers choose to install more memory than they think they would ever need
in order to accommodate surprise surges in use.
Because server configurations involve so many variables, it's difficult to make
precise recommendations with regard to memory. The following chart shows two
server upgrade scenarios.
SERVER MEMORY MAP
WINDOWS®
2000 SERVER
Designed to help businesses of all sizes run better, Windows
2000 Server offers a manageable, reliable and internet- ready solution for
today's growing enterprises. For optimal performance, consider adding more
memory to take advantage of Windows 2000 Server's robust feature set. Windows
2000 Server is internet- ready and promises to run today's and tomorrow's
applications better.
Baseline: 128MB
Optimal: 256MB - 1GB
|
| Application Server |
Houses one or more applications to be accessed over a wide user base |
256MB - 4GB |
| Directory Server |
Central Management of network resources |
128MB - 1GB |
| Print Server |
Distributes print jobs to appropriate printers |
128MB - 512MB |
| Communication Server |
Manages a variety of communications such as PBX, Voicemail, Email, and VPN |
512MB - 2GB |
| Web Server |
Internet and intranet solutions |
512MB - 2GB |
| Database Server |
Manages simple to complex databases of varying sizes |
256MB - 4GB |
LINUX®
Linux is a reliable, cost- effective alternative to traditional
UNIX servers. Depending on the distribution, the Linux server platform
features a variety of utilities, applications, and services.
Baseline: 64MB - 128MB
Optimal: 256MB - 1GB |
| Application Server |
Houses one or more applications to be accessed over a wide user base |
64MB - 4GB |
| Directory Server |
Central Management of network resources |
128MB - 1GB |
| Print Server |
Distributes print jobs to appropriate printers |
128MB - 512MB |
| Communication Server |
Manages a variety of communications such as PBX, Voicemail, Email, and VPN |
512MB - 2GB |
| Web Server |
Internet and intranet solutions |
512MB - 2GB |
| Database Server |
Manages simple to complex databases of varying sizes |
256MB - 4GB |
* Please Note: These figures reflect work done in a typical server environment.
Higher- end workstation tasks may require up to 4GB. Naturally, a chart such as
this evolves as memory needs and trends change. Over time, developers of software
and operating systems will continue to add features and functionality to their
products. This will continue to drive the demand for more memory. More complex
character sets, like Kanji, may require more memory than the standard Roman based
(English) character sets.
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