80% browse / 10% search / 10% modify
Tests passed per second
This test simulated a read-intensive user profile, which is typical for an organization in which users perform browsing and light collaboration. The average number of tests passed per second was 8.40.
Based on the methodology provided in the Maximum user capacity, this solution supported 50,400 heavy users.
Figure 3.Tests passed per second
Time per operation
The Microsoft maximum recommended time for SharePoint operations is 3 seconds.
The average time for all three operation types in our testing was well below this:
§ Browse: 0.76 seconds/operation
§ Search: 0.13 seconds/operation
§ Modify: 0.34 seconds/operation 8
8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7
0:15:00 0:03:00 0:05:00 0:07:00 0:09:00 0:11:00 0:13:00 0:15:00 0:17:00 0:19:00 0:21:00 0:23:00 0:25:00 0:27:00 0:29:00 0:31:00 0:33:00 0:35:00 0:37:00 0:39:00 0:41:00 0:43:00 0:45:00 0:47:00 0:49:00 0:51:00 0:53:00 0:55:00 0:57:00 0:59:00 1:01:00
Tests passed
Figure 4. Response time by operation type
Figure 4 displays the average time taken to perform transactions during the load test. This graph demonstrates that the performance of the server is within acceptable and maximum transactions time ranges of 3 and 5 seconds respectively, as defined in User response times.
Average CPU utilization
Average CPU utilization for each server/server type was:
§ SQL-01: 55.28%
§ SQL-02: 39.11%
§ Web front ends: 73.70%
§ Query servers: 49.91%
§ Crawl servers: 28.59%
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
0:10 0:15 0:20 0:25 0:30 0:35 0:40 0:45 0:50 0:55 1:00 1:05 1:10 1:15 1:20 1:25
Response time (seconds)
Search Modify Browse
Figure 5. CPU utilization
Using the 80/10/10 profile, the average CPU utilization for SQL, web front ends, query and crawl servers were all within our performance threshold of 80%.
Average and maximum input/output operations per second Average IOPS for operating systems, databases, and stores were:
§ Web front end OS: 55.69
§ Content DBs: 102.86
§ Property store: 26.87
§ Crawl store: 42.35
§ Temp DB: 80.25
Maximum IOPS for operating systems, databases, and stores were:
§ Web front end OS: 542.56
§ Content DBs: 145.83
§ Property store: 231.651768
§ Crawl store: 131.48
The IOPS we generated for the 80/10/10 profile was well below what the Vblock System 300 can support.
ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization
The following table shows ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization during test:
Table 7. ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization
Server/virtual machine Average CPU utilization (%) Average memory consumed (GB)
Based on the utilization report across all four physical hosts, including 16 virtual machines, there remains significant capacity to add more SharePoint users and deploy additional web front-end servers. ESX Host 1 utilization was higher because it contained the primary servers used in this solution, including the SQL Server. Servers on other hosts were deployed primarily for redundancy.
70% browse / 5% search / 25% modify
Tests passed per second
This test simulated a typical profile for organizations with heavy collaboration, with a low ratio of search activities. The average number of tests passed per second was 8.34. Based on the methodology provided in Maximum user capacity, this solution supported 50,040 heavy users.
Figure 6. Tests passed per second 8.1
8.15 8.2 8.25 8.3 8.35 8.4 8.45
0:01 0:03 0:05 0:07 0:09 0:11 0:13 0:15 0:17 0:19 0:21 0:23 0:25 0:27 0:29 0:31 0:33 0:35 0:37 0:39 0:41 0:43 0:45 0:47 0:49 0:51 0:53 0:55 0:57 0:59
Test passed
Seconds
Time per operation
The Microsoft maximum recommended time for SharePoint operations is 3 seconds.
The average time for all three operation types in our testing was well below this:
§ Browse: 0.45 seconds/operation
§ Search: 0.14 seconds/operation
§ Modify: 0.33 seconds/operation
Figure 7. Response time by operation type
Figure 7 displays the average time taken to perform transactions during the load test. This graph demonstrates that the performance of the server is within acceptable and maximum transactions time ranges of 3 and 5 seconds respectively, as defined in User response times.
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
0:10 0:15 0:20 0:25 0:30 0:35 0:40 0:45 0:50 0:55 1:00 1:05 1:10 1:15 1:20 1:25
Response time (seconds)
Search Modify Browse
Average CPU utilization
Average CPU utilization for each server/server type was:
§ SQL-01: 37.21%
§ SQL-02: 20.54%
§ Web front ends: 66.34%
§ Query servers: 13.62%
§ Crawl servers: 7.63%
Figure 8 CPU utilization
Using the 70/5/25 profile, the average CPU utilization for SQL, web front ends, query and crawl servers were all within our performance threshold of 80%.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
CPU utilization
SQL 1 SQL 2 WFEs QUERY CRAWL
Average and maximum input/output operations per second Average IOPS for operating systems, databases, and stores were:
§ Web front end OS: 121.33
§ Content DBs: 116.32
§ Property store: 20.32
§ Crawl store: 35.65
§ Temp DB: 85.26
Maximum IOPS for operating systems, databases, and stores were:
§ Web front end OS: 300.83
§ Content DBs: 185.86
§ Property store: 105.41
§ Crawl store: 114.72
§ Temp DB: 103.34
The IOPS we generated for the 70/5/25 profile was well below what the Vblock System 300 can support.
ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization
The following table shows the ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization during testing:
Table 8. ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization
Server/virtual machine Average CPU utilization (%) Average memory consumed (GB)
ESX-1 65.77 55.98
Server/virtual machine Average CPU utilization (%) Average memory consumed (GB)
SQL-m2 20.54 3.25
ESX-3 26.56 30.75
DC-01 2.86 3.62
WFE-05 55.18 10.49
CRAWL-01 7.63 4.59
QUERY-01 13.62 4.80
ESX-4 24.20 31.14
DC-02 4.62 2.99
WFE-06 55.34 11.19
CRAWL-02 .396 1.35
QUERY-02 12.90 5.19
Based on the utilization report across all four physical hosts, including 16 virtual machines, there remains significant capacity to add more SharePoint users and deploy additional web front-end servers. ESX Host 1 utilization was higher because it contained the primary servers used in this solution, including the SQL Server. Servers on other hosts were deployed primarily for redundancy.
50% browse / 20% search / 30% modify
Tests passed per second
This test simulated a profile that is typical for an organization in which users perform both heavy collaboration and high ratio of search activities. The average number of tests passed per second was 9.35. Based on the methodology provided in Maximum user capacity, this solution supported 56,100 heavy users.
Figure 9. Tests passed per second 9.1
9.15 9.2 9.25 9.3 9.35 9.4 9.45
0:01 0:03 0:05 0:07 0:09 0:11
0:13 0:15 0:17 0:19 0:21 0:23 0:25 0:27 0:29 0:31 0:33 0:35 0:37 0:39 0:41 0:43 0:45 0:47 0:49 0:51 0:53 0:55 0:57 0:59
Tests passed per second
Time per operation
The Microsoft maximum recommended time for SharePoint operations is 3 seconds.
The average time for all three operation types in our testing was well below this:
§ Browse: 0.55 seconds/operation
§ Search: 0.29 seconds/operation
§ Modify: 0.50 seconds/operation
Figure 10. Response time by operation type
Figure 10 displays the average time taken to perform transactions during the load test. This graph demonstrates that the performance of the server is within acceptable and maximum transactions time ranges of 3 and 5 seconds respectively, as defined in User response times.
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
0:10 0:15 0:20 0:25 0:30 0:35 0:40 0:45 0:50 0:55 1:00 1:05 1:10 1:15 1:20 1:25
Response time (seconds)
Search Modify Browse
Average CPU utilization
Average CPU utilization for each server/server type was:
§ SQL-01: 42.22%
§ SQL-02: 25.16%
§ Web front ends: 66.67%
§ Query servers: 7.33%
§ Crawl servers: 4.45%
Figure 11. CPU utilization
Using the 50/20/30 profile, the average CPU utilization for SQL, web front ends, query and crawl servers were all within our performance threshold of 80%.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
CPU utilization
SQL 1 SQL 2 WFEs QUERY CRAWL
Average and maximum input/output operations per second Average IOPS for operating systems, databases, and stores were:
§ Web front end OS: 105.54
§ Content DBs: 153.25
§ Property store: 28.12
§ Crawl store: 42.65
§ Temp DB: 74.52
Maximum IOPS for operating systems, databases, and stores were:
§ Web front end OS: 405.43
§ Content DBs: 145.31
§ Property store: 186.74
§ Crawl store —165.48
§ Temp DB: 116.90
The IOPS we generated for the 50/20/30 profile was well below what the Vblock System 300 can support.
ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization
The following table shows the ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization during testing:
Table 9. ESX server and virtual machine CPU and memory utilization
Server/virtual machine Average CPU utilization (%) Average memory consumed (GB)
Server/virtual machine Average CPU utilization (%) Average memory consumed (GB)
WFE-04 65.73 13.54
SQL-02 25.16 4.35
ESX HOST 3 26.91 30.88
DC-01 2.87 3.46
WFE-05 66.03 12.28
CRAWL-01 4.16 4.63
QUERY-01 7.33 4.68
ESX HOST 4 25.93 31.25
DC-02 4.59 2.56
WFE-06 66.46 12.39
CRAWL-02 .39 1.51
QUERY-02 6.94 4.64
Based on the utilization report across all four physical hosts, including 16 virtual machines, there remains significant capacity to add more SharePoint users and deploy additional web front-end servers. ESX Host 1 utilization was higher because it contained the primary servers used in this solution, including the SQL Server. Servers on other hosts were deployed primarily for redundancy.
Conclusion
The increasing volume and importance of an organization’s knowledge assets mean that tools to manage content, collaboration, and information access are no longer an option—they are a business requirement. Whether working across teams to develop new products, implementing new processes, or managing internal and public-facing information, the Vblock Solution for SharePoint makes it easy and cost-effective for you to set up SharePoint in your organization.
VCE provides a comprehensive solution for a virtualized IT infrastructure that supports SharePoint without the traditional challenges of outdated technologies requiring long lead times and huge capital and operating outlays. The Vblock Solution for SharePoint provides a single enterprise-grade cloud solution, tailored for SharePoint, which provides economy, quality, and dependability in one package.
This solution demonstrates a virtualized SharePoint environment that supports more than 50,000 users of varying profiles with reduced provisioning time. This solution provides faster return on investment and storage options that provide economy, performance, and scalability in one package.
Vblock Systems offer an end-to-end IT infrastructure solution that clears the way for you to deploy SharePoint in your organization with reduced costs and simpler management.