Hardware Requirements
Hardware Requirements for FirstClass Server and Client
• Windows
• Linux
Open Text FirstClass® for Windows System Requirements
FirstClass 10.0 Core Server Hardware Requirements
The FirstClass 10 core server makes significantly more use of both memory and processors than 9.x and earlier servers. The largest user of this by far is the new index searching found in 10.0, but other core features are also making more use of memory and processors. Operating system differences are no longer so significant in comparison, so hardware requirements are fairly consistent across all OS platforms.
Quick Summary
As you will see below, the increased core server requirements in FirstClass 10.0 are not only for high-capacity sites, but are mostly driven by the size of the FCNS content size. However, larger sites under significant load should choose to make use of an 8-processor configuration.
Minimum Hardware Requirements (suitable for smaller installations with small FCNS content):
dual-processor 64-bit (2 CPUs, in any configuration, e.g. a single dual-core)
4GB RAM (smaller FCNS content stores, up to 250GB)
Typical Hardware Requirements (most sites):
quad-processor 64-bit (4 CPUs, in any configuration) or more
4GB RAM (sites with FCNS not exceeding 250GB content store, more would be even better)
8GB RAM (sites with FCNS exceeding 250GB content store, more would be even better)
Recommended Hardware, Especially for Larger Sites
8 processors (64-bit) or more (in any configuration)
16GB RAM or more (depending on the size of the FCNS)
Operating Systems Supported (Tested)
Windows Server 2003 x64, Windows Server 2003 R2 x64, Windows Server 2008 x64, Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64
FirstClass 10.0 Internet Services Hardware Requirements
FirstClass 10 Internet Services makes more use of both memory and processors than 9.x and earlier versions. In addition to the existing requirements for RAM, enhanced caching mechanisms in FirstClass 10.0 require additional memory. Platform-wise, Internet Services now requires 64-bit hardware and a 64-bit Operating system.
Quick Summary
Internet Services hardware requirements in FirstClass 10.0 are are determined based on a number of factors, including base software requirements, resources used by the cluster, the number of IS sessions configured and caching requirements. In general, larger sites making more extensive use of HTTP will require larger amounts of RAM.
Minimum Hardware Requirements (suitable for smaller installations):
dual-processor 64-bit (2 CPUs, in any configuration, e.g. a single dual-core)
4GB RAM
Typical Hardware Requirements (most sites):
quad-processor 64-bit (4 CPUs, in any configuration) or more
8GB RAM (sites with high HTTP utilization will benefit from more - see the calculator below)
Recommended Hardware (large sites using multiple IS clusters)
8 processors (64-bit) or more (in any configuration)
16GB RAM or more (sites with very large numbers of IS sessions configured could benefit from more - see the calculator below)
Operating Systems Supported (Tested)
Windows Server 2003 x64, Windows Server 2003 R2 x64, Windows Server 2008 x64, Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64
Calculating Memory Requirements
To determine how much memory to provision on top of server OS requirements, please use the following guideline:
Allow 128Mb as a base requirement (includes basic overhead for all the protocols, config files, 1 language worth of resources)
Add the size of any extra resources installed (ie add up all the additional .rez files, icons.rez files, 'x' resources equivalents etc from the Resource Registry folder...). As a rough estimate, allow 1-3 Mb for each extra language and/or web site custom resource set.
If the cluster has HTTP enabled, add 6Mb for each IS session configured on the Basic Internet Setup form. If the cluster does not have HTTP enabled, reduce this to 3Mb for each IS session.
If the cluster has HTTP enabled, allow 1Mb of HTTP cache data for the first 1000 web-enabled accounts on the system, then 256k for each web-enabled account after that, up to a maximum of 4x the session allocation.
An Example:
For an HTTP-enabled IS cluster connected to a to a server with 9,000 user accounts and configured for 300 internet sessions, with Swedish and Danish resources in addition to English, the recommended RAM requirement would be:
128 Mb (base) + 4 Mb (2 extra language resource files @ 2 Mb apiece) + 1800 Mb (300 internet sessions @ 6Mb apiece) + 5000Mb (cache allowance of 1Mb x 1000 + 256k x 8000 for the users on the system) = 6932 Mb =~ 7Gb
FirstClass 10.0 Single Server Hardware Requirements (Core Server and IS on one physical machine)
This hardware specification is recommended for small sites only. Although there is no "official" specification for a small site, the following criteria provide a reasonable guideline:
1. Less than 1,000 total active accounts
2. Peak concurrency under 250
3. Network Store of less than 200GB
Recommended Hardware
8 64-bit processors (two quad-core processors, for example)
16GB RAM or more (follow the IS memory calculation guideline, above)
NOTE: If you have any questions about your specific requirements, please contact your local support office
FirstClass 9.1 Client
Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/2003
• Intel Pentium 3 class CPU or better, or equivalent AMD CPU
• 32 MB available RAM
• 20 MB available disk space
Microsoft Windows Vista
• Windows Vista capable system
• 32 MB available RAM
• 20 MB available disk space
FirstClass 9.1 Server
Windows 2000/2003
• Microsoft Windows Server or better recommended
• 128 MB available RAM, plus 100 k/concurrent session
• 200 MB available disk space, plus additional storage for mail and user data
• Intel Pentium 3 Class CPU or better (Intel Pentium 4 recommended), or equivalent AMD CPU
(dual core recommended)
These requirements are specific to the last major software release and are suggested minimum configurations. The most optimal performance will be seen using current speed processors. Please consult a FirstClass authorized reseller or FirstClass Customer Support for specific guidance.
Advanced System Requirements
Note: High capacity sites may require high performance computers, disk subsystems and network connections. Please consult a FirstClass authorized reseller or FirstClass Customer Support for specific guidance on Server, Internet Services and other protocol modules.
Open Text FirstClass® for Macintosh System Requirements
FirstClass 10.0 Core Server Hardware Requirements
The FirstClass 10 core server makes significantly more use of both memory and processors than 9.x and earlier servers. The largest user of this by far is the new index searching found in 10.0, but other core features are also making more use of memory and processors. Operating system differences are no longer so significant in comparison, so hardware requirements are fairly consistent across all OS platforms.
Quick Summary
As you will see below, the increased core server requirements in FirstClass 10.0 are not only for high-capacity sites, but are mostly driven by the size of the FCNS content size. However, larger sites under significant load should choose to make use of an 8-processor configuration.
Minimum Hardware Requirements (suitable for smaller installations with small FCNS content):
dual-processor 64-bit (2 CPUs, in any configuration, e.g. a single dual-core)
4GB RAM (smaller FCNS content stores, up to 250GB)
Typical Hardware Requirements (most sites):
quad-processor 64-bit (4 CPUs, in any configuration) or more
4GB RAM (sites with FCNS not exceeding 250GB content store, more would be even better)
8GB RAM (sites with FCNS exceeding 250GB content store, more would be even better)
Recommended Hardware, Especially for Larger Sites
8 processors (64-bit) or more (in any configuration)
16GB RAM or more (depending on the size of the FCNS)
Operating Systems Supported (Tested)
OS X (64-bit Intel) 10.5.4 'Server' / OS X (64-bit Intel) 10.5.7 'Desktop'
FirstClass 10.0 Internet Services Hardware Requirements
FirstClass 10 Internet Services makes more use of both memory and processors than 9.x and earlier versions. In addition to the existing requirements for RAM, enhanced caching mechanisms in FirstClass 10.0 require additional memory. Platform-wise, Internet Services now requires 64-bit hardware and a 64-bit Operating system.
Quick Summary
Internet Services hardware requirements in FirstClass 10.0 are are determined based on a number of factors, including base software requirements, resources used by the cluster, the number of IS sessions configured and caching requirements. In general, larger sites making more extensive use of HTTP will require larger amounts of RAM.
Minimum Hardware Requirements (suitable for smaller installations):
dual-processor 64-bit (2 CPUs, in any configuration, e.g. a single dual-core)
4GB RAM
Typical Hardware Requirements (most sites):
quad-processor 64-bit (4 CPUs, in any configuration) or more
8GB RAM (sites with high HTTP utilization will benefit from more - see the calculator below)
Recommended Hardware (large sites using multiple IS clusters)
8 processors (64-bit) or more (in any configuration)
16GB RAM or more (sites with very large numbers of IS sessions configured could benefit from more - see the calculator below)
Operating Systems Supported (Tested)
OS X (64-bit Intel) 10.5.4 'Server' / OS X (64-bit Intel) 10.5.7 'Desktop'
Calculating Memory Requirements
To determine how much memory to provision on top of server OS requirements, please use the following guideline:
Allow 128Mb as a base requirement (includes basic overhead for all the protocols, config files, 1 language worth of resources)
Add the size of any extra resources installed (ie add up all the additional .rez files, icons.rez files, 'x' resources equivalents etc from the Resource Registry folder...). As a rough estimate, allow 1-3 Mb for each extra language and/or web site custom resource set.
If the cluster has HTTP enabled, add 6Mb for each IS session configured on the Basic Internet Setup form. If the cluster does not have HTTP enabled, reduce this to 3Mb for each IS session.
If the cluster has HTTP enabled, allow 1Mb of HTTP cache data for the first 1000 web-enabled accounts on the system, then 256k for each web-enabled account after that, up to a maximum of 4x the session allocation.
An Example:
For an HTTP-enabled IS cluster connected to a to a server with 9,000 user accounts and configured for 300 internet sessions, with Swedish and Danish resources in addition to English, the recommended RAM requirement would be:
128 Mb (base) + 4 Mb (2 extra language resource files @ 2 Mb apiece) + 1800 Mb (300 internet sessions @ 6Mb apiece) + 5000Mb (cache allowance of 1Mb x 1000 + 256k x 8000 for the users on the system) = 6932 Mb =~ 7Gb
FirstClass 10.0 Single Server Hardware Requirements (Core Server and IS on one physical machine)
This hardware specification is recommended for small sites only. Although there is no "official" specification for a small site, the following criteria provide a reasonable guideline:
1. Less than 1,000 total active accounts
2. Peak concurrency under 250
3. Network Store of less than 200GB
Recommended Hardware
8 64-bit processors (two quad-core processors, for example)
16GB RAM or more (follow the IS memory calculation guideline, above)
NOTE: If you have any questions about your specific requirements, please contact your local support office
FirstClass 9.1 Client
• G3 CPU or better
• Mac OS X (Intel), 10.2.8, 10.3.4 - 10.3.9, 10.4.9 or 10.5.4
• Mac OS 10.4.10 & 10.4.11 - NOT supported at all
• 50 MB available RAM
• 20 MB free disk space
FirstClass 9.1 Server
• Mac OS (Intel) 10.4.9 or 10.5.4
• Mac OS 10.4.10 & 10.4.11 - NOT supported at all
• 128 MB available RAM, plus 100 k/concurrent session
• 200 MB free disk space, plus additional storage for mail and user data
• G4 Class CPU or better (G5 / Intel recommended)
These requirements are specific to the last major software release and are suggested minimum configurations. The most optimal performance will be seen using current speed processors. Please consult a FirstClass authorized reseller or FirstClass Customer Support for specific guidance.
Advanced System Requirements
Note: High capacity sites may require high performance computers, disk subsystems and network connections. Please consult a FirstClass authorized reseller or FirstClass Customer Support for specific guidance on Server, Internet Services and other protocol modules.
Open Text FirstClass® for Linux System Requirements
FirstClass 10.0 Core Server Hardware Requirements
The FirstClass 10 core server makes significantly more use of both memory and processors than 9.x and earlier servers. The largest user of this by far is the new index searching found in 10.0, but other core features are also making more use of memory and processors. Operating system differences are no longer so significant in comparison, so hardware requirements are fairly consistent across all OS platforms.
Quick Summary
As you will see below, the increased core server requirements in FirstClass 10.0 are not only for high-capacity sites, but are mostly driven by the size of the FCNS content size. However, larger sites under significant load should choose to make use of an 8-processor configuration.
Minimum Hardware Requirements (suitable for smaller installations with small FCNS content):
dual-processor 64-bit (2 CPUs, in any configuration, e.g. a single dual-core)
4GB RAM (smaller FCNS content stores, up to 250GB)
Typical Hardware Requirements (most sites):
quad-processor 64-bit (4 CPUs, in any configuration) or more
4GB RAM (sites with FCNS not exceeding 250GB content store, more would be even better)
8GB RAM (sites with FCNS exceeding 250GB content store, more would be even better)
Recommended Hardware, Especially for Larger Sites
8 processors (64-bit) or more (in any configuration)
16GB RAM or more (depending on the size of the FCNS)
Operating Systems Supported (Tested)
Fedora 8 (64-bit) - Kernel 2.6.23.1-42.fc8
FirstClass 10.0 Internet Services Hardware Requirements
FirstClass 10 Internet Services makes more use of both memory and processors than 9.x and earlier versions. In addition to the existing requirements for RAM, enhanced caching mechanisms in FirstClass 10.0 require additional memory. Platform-wise, Internet Services now requires 64-bit hardware and a 64-bit Operating system.
Quick Summary
Internet Services hardware requirements in FirstClass 10.0 are are determined based on a number of factors, including base software requirements, resources used by the cluster, the number of IS sessions configured and caching requirements. In general, larger sites making more extensive use of HTTP will require larger amounts of RAM.
Minimum Hardware Requirements (suitable for smaller installations):
dual-processor 64-bit (2 CPUs, in any configuration, e.g. a single dual-core)
4GB RAM
Typical Hardware Requirements (most sites):
quad-processor 64-bit (4 CPUs, in any configuration) or more
8GB RAM (sites with high HTTP utilization will benefit from more - see the calculator below)
Recommended Hardware (large sites using multiple IS clusters)
8 processors (64-bit) or more (in any configuration)
16GB RAM or more (sites with very large numbers of IS sessions configured could benefit from more - see the calculator below)
Operating Systems Supported (Tested)
Fedora 8 (64-bit) - Kernel 2.6.23.1-42.fc8
Calculating Memory Requirements
To determine how much memory to provision on top of server OS requirements, please use the following guideline:
Allow 128Mb as a base requirement (includes basic overhead for all the protocols, config files, 1 language worth of resources)
Add the size of any extra resources installed (ie add up all the additional .rez files, icons.rez files, 'x' resources equivalents etc from the Resource Registry folder...). As a rough estimate, allow 1-3 Mb for each extra language and/or web site custom resource set.
If the cluster has HTTP enabled, add 6Mb for each IS session configured on the Basic Internet Setup form. If the cluster does not have HTTP enabled, reduce this to 3Mb for each IS session.
If the cluster has HTTP enabled, allow 1Mb of HTTP cache data for the first 1000 web-enabled accounts on the system, then 256k for each web-enabled account after that, up to a maximum of 4x the session allocation.
An Example:
For an HTTP-enabled IS cluster connected to a to a server with 9,000 user accounts and configured for 300 internet sessions, with Swedish and Danish resources in addition to English, the recommended RAM requirement would be:
128 Mb (base) + 4 Mb (2 extra language resource files @ 2 Mb apiece) + 1800 Mb (300 internet sessions @ 6Mb apiece) + 5000Mb (cache allowance of 1Mb x 1000 + 256k x 8000 for the users on the system) = 6932 Mb =~ 7Gb
FirstClass 10.0 Single Server Hardware Requirements (Core Server and IS on one physical machine)
This hardware specification is recommended for small sites only. Although there is no "official" specification for a small site, the following criteria provide a reasonable guideline:
1. Less than 1,000 total active accounts
2. Peak concurrency under 250
3. Network Store of less than 200GB
Recommended Hardware
8 64-bit processors (two quad-core processors, for example)
16GB RAM or more (follow the IS memory calculation guideline, above)
NOTE: If you have any questions about your specific requirements, please contact your local support office
FirstClass 9.1 Client
• Intel Pentium 3 class CPU or better, or equivalent AMD CPU
• 32 MB available RAM
• 10 MB available disk space
• A mainstream Linux distribution with:
• Qt library version 3.3.3 or greater
• X11 library version 6.2 or greater
• libc version 6
FirstClass 9.1 Server
• Any Linux distribution with a 2.6 based kernel, or a 2.4 kernel with NTPL threads support.
• 128 MB available RAM, plus 100 k/concurrent session
• 100 MB available disk space, plus additional storage for mail and user data
• Intel Pentium 4 Class CPU, or equivalent AMD CPU
These requirements are specific to the last major software release and are suggested minimum configurations. The most optimal performance will be seen using current speed processors. Please consult a FirstClass authorized reseller or FirstClass Customer Support for specific guidance.
Advanced System Requirements
Note: High capacity sites may require high performance computers, disk subsystems and network connections. Please consult a FirstClass authorized reseller or FirstClass Customer Support for specific guidance on Server, Internet Services and other protocol modules.
FirstClass is ideally suited to the needs of organizations that are multi-facility, geographically diverse and requiring improved communications that allows the organization to work as if everyone is in one place. It has been used effectively for over 15 years by school districts, service bureaus, manufacturers and others who are able to benefit from the extraordinary stability of its scalable server, extensible architecture and amazing ease of use.