Doug,
I'm also looking to implement a Windchill server to primarily run PDMLink, but also to look into other functionality for non-CAD data management. I too was interested in a hosted solution (e.g., IBM), but have not heard good reviews (e.g., they're slow to upgrade, bandwidth to the data centers can be slow). Here's the recommendations I got to run on-site with a dual server config (Eric's recommendation as well):
1. Application Server and Content Vault
Windows 2003 Server Standard
2 CPU
4 GB RAM
RAID 10 (Striping and Mirroring). Minimum 4 disks. 10k or 15k RPM Ultra SCSI
Provides storage for all versions of all CAD files, so a large amount of storage (150 GB at minimum) will be needed in most use cases.
2. Database Server
Windows 2003 Server Standard
1 CPU
2 GB RAM
RAID 1 (Mirroring Only) at minimum, RAID 10 recommended
Database size will be relatively small, so smaller (36GB) disks OK.
For the database, I've heard that you can run either Oracle or SQL.
Thanks,
Willy Chung
SurfaceInk Corporation - Boston
In Reply to Eric Mills:
Doug
Well, yes on the Windchill server and Oracle software. On the Oracle side, Windchill is using the Oracle as the database, therefore as long as things are working correctly and you don't need customization, then you can be blind to the Oracle. Check with your local sales rep on an estimate on getting the Windchill server software and any server requirements. Typically it is best to have two physical servers for Windchill as all of the processes running on one machine can be rather overtaxing on the hardware. Your biggest goal is to get the software running correctly from the very beginning, which if you have an application engineer install and configure the system you will be more robust over time.
Regards
Eric
In Reply to Doug Schaefer:
Hello,
We own 8 seats of the old Flex 3C, which is now Enterprise SE I think. With it, we have 8 'heavy user' seats of ProjectLink that we have never used. We are looking into what it would take to implement it. I understand that there are several that will host it for us, which is an interesting idea, but for now I'm interested in what it would take for us to host it ourselves.
I've been told that we'd need a dedicated server exclusively for Windchill. Is that true?
I've been told that we'd need Oracle. How much Oracle do we need to know in order to install and run ProjectLink?
What else do I need to know?
Doug Schaefer
