Need help sizing SMTP gateway server

[TAG]

I'm designing 2 servers for our Exchange 5.5 migration (we're currently using Netscape Messaging server).

I've already read a few books/websites on how to size my main Exchange site server. This box will handle internal emails, Private & Public folders, and the Directory (PRIV, PUB, and DIR.EDB)

I want to set up another Exchange server to handle ONLY Internet emails (SMTP conversions, etc.)

I've gone through 4 different "Deploying Exchange Server" type books, and searched most of the good Exchange sites (Swynk, Swinc, etc.) but I can't seem to find any recommendations on what size of box I need to build for this purpose.

I know the CPU needs to be very fast to do the conversions, but can someone recommend disk space, memory, i/o, etc? Even if it's just a "This is what we did at my last company" kind of response, it would be greatly appreciated.

It will need to handle approximately 150 users now and 300 by next year. We're an Internet startup so there will be lots of email to and from external hosts.

Thanks for any input!
TAG

[Del Smith]

My recommendation follow....

Internet Mail Server
Pentium III 500 (At least)
512 MG RAM
2 Mirrored 9GB Internal SCSI Drives

Exchange Mail Server
Dual Pentium III or XEON
1 GB RAM
2 Mirrored 9GB Internal SCSI Drives for OS
2 Mirrored 9GB (or smaller) Internal SCSI drives for Transaction logs
3 RAID 5 18 GB drives for information store

This configuration will work good for now and into the future and will easily accomodate Windows2000 and Exchange 2000. Do not skip on memory or hard drive space/configuration. Processor is the least important of the three.

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TAG at 2/28/00 1:37:34 PM

I'm designing 2 servers for our Exchange 5.5 migration (we're currently using Netscape Messaging server).

I've already read a few books/websites on how to size my main Exchange site server. This box will handle internal emails, Private & Public folders, and the Directory (PRIV, PUB, and DIR.EDB)

I want to set up another Exchange server to handle ONLY Internet emails (SMTP conversions, etc.)

I've gone through 4 different "Deploying Exchange Server" type books, and searched most of the good Exchange sites (Swynk, Swinc, etc.) but I can't seem to find any recommendations on what size of box I need to build for this purpose.

I know the CPU needs to be very fast to do the conversions, but can someone recommend disk space, memory, i/o, etc? Even if it's just a "This is what we did at my last company" kind of response, it would be greatly appreciated.

It will need to handle approximately 150 users now and 300 by next year. We're an Internet startup so there will be lots of email to and from external hosts.

Thanks for any input!
TAG

[TAG]

Thank you Del. I didn't realize I would need that much memory on the main server as well as on the gateway machine.
I haven't ordered either, so I'll up my requirements and get a new quote.

Thanks for your help!!
TAG


------------
Del Smith at 2/28/00 5:13:54 PM

My recommendation follow....

Internet Mail Server
Pentium III 500 (At least)
512 MG RAM
2 Mirrored 9GB Internal SCSI Drives

Exchange Mail Server
Dual Pentium III or XEON
1 GB RAM
2 Mirrored 9GB Internal SCSI Drives for OS
2 Mirrored 9GB (or smaller) Internal SCSI drives for Transaction logs
3 RAID 5 18 GB drives for information store

This configuration will work good for now and into the future and will easily accomodate Windows2000 and Exchange 2000. Do not skip on memory or hard drive space/configuration. Processor is the least important of the three.

------------
TAG at 2/28/00 1:37:34 PM

I'm designing 2 servers for our Exchange 5.5 migration (we're currently using Netscape Messaging server).

I've already read a few books/websites on how to size my main Exchange site server. This box will handle internal emails, Private & Public folders, and the Directory (PRIV, PUB, and DIR.EDB)

I want to set up another Exchange server to handle ONLY Internet emails (SMTP conversions, etc.)

I've gone through 4 different "Deploying Exchange Server" type books, and searched most of the good Exchange sites (Swynk, Swinc, etc.) but I can't seem to find any recommendations on what size of box I need to build for this purpose.

I know the CPU needs to be very fast to do the conversions, but can someone recommend disk space, memory, i/o, etc? Even if it's just a "This is what we did at my last company" kind of response, it would be greatly appreciated.

It will need to handle approximately 150 users now and 300 by next year. We're an Internet startup so there will be lots of email to and from external hosts.

Thanks for any input!
TAG