Benefits of Additional Web Server

Question

Hello,

I've been deploying and maintaining SolarWinds for the past 9 years and have never had the need to use an Additional Web Server (AWS) in any of my environments. Right now I'm doing an initial deployment for a new company that will have about 50 concurrent users, and I'm wondering if I should look into purchasing the AWS license and install it on its own dedicated server.

We're still in the deployment phase, with a low number of users actually using it right now, so I'm unsure how to measure the performance gain with a dedicated web server. Our environment has 2.3k nodes, 60k elements, and 4 Additional Polling Engines (APEs). For modules we have NPM, NCM, SAM, and NTA.

Does anyone here have any experience with AWSs have any insight into the performance gain you've seen by splitting the web server off from the Main Polling Engine (MPE)?

Things I'm most curious on:

- What's the list-price for an AWS? I can't find it on the North American Price Sheet.

- Is it possible to stack the AWS with an APE similar to how you can stack APEs with the MPE?

- At what level of concurrent users would a business typically purchase an AWS?

- If the MPE goes down for maintenance does that cause errors in the AWS, or can I reboot the MPE and still deliver the site to users? Does AWS rely on the MPE?

Thanks in advance on any insight you all might have!

-Drew

HerrDoktor · Accepted Answer

Hey, thanks for asking this question, this is one of my favourite topics, why should you use an additional webserver. - it is one of the most "value for the buck" license in the solawinds world. - I don't have an actual number but it mus be around 500€ - you can more easily identify web performance issues that might arise due to an incorrect IIS Config/GPOs that mess with permission etc.etc.etc. - you can put that AWS in your DMZ and make your Orion Website available to the public (no more VPNing in when you receive an alert in the middle of the night) - you will be able to spread the load of your Web-Users - Your core Poller has the ressources for what is is needed -> polling information from devices and handling the core functions the downside is: - you need to maintain an additional Server I'd go for an AWS at any time! --- Edit ---- I forgot to answer all your questions: - No stacking possible, I don't even like stacking APEs but that's just me. - the Architecture and Design guidelines suggest 20 concurrent web users per Web Server (depending on what ressources you have on your website it might be more or less) - AWS relies on MPE running... it will show a website but all Data Widgets will be empty --- edit again --- as there is only one AWS license with no tiers -> 445€

Benefits of Additional Web Server

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