Hi,

I would like to know if people have experience in hosting a dedicated server with DNN and the free SQL Express 2005 database of Microsoft? I am curious if a single server can coop with a load of about 5.000 visits per day with an average of 150 users online during the day? Or do I have to install a SQL workgroup and/or even 2 servers? One for the webserver part and one for the database?

I am now shared hosted at Webhost4life in the USA (I am in Europe, The Netherlands). But performance is too slow and sometimes even database connection locks. No problem for a demo/ testsite, but for a professional business not done.

I am also wondering if somebody can tell me figures about scalibility and performance? It is nice that the new DNN 4.0.0 has performance increase of about 30%. But it does not give an idea of how many portals, users etc. you can host? And if you know the users and portals, I would rather know what hardware you need for that? So in this table I would like to look up: 5.000 visitors per day, average online 150 users, with average visit of 20 minutes...then you need for fast performance a dedicated server with a SQL Express database...or in bad scenario even 2 servers...Also shared hosters could be listed here....and even nicer: a certification programm for hosting companies to guarantee that their setup meets DNN standards and the servers do not become hotboxes...

Please help me out!

Jelle

Hi Mariette,

Thank you for your help. It seems that a dedicated server - but in my eyes expensive: > 7.000 euro for server + sql 2005 for about 4000 euro - on one server can do the job. So no need for 2 servers. That is nice. The PageBlaster of John Mitchel I also had installed, but it seemed that the blogs and some other modules did not show some links to the admin and/or edit users anymore. But that is a different topic. I have an online shop with discounts groups per user. So I need virtually a direct database otherwise I must cache my complete catalog for 11 countries.

I am interested to know if a less sophisicated server can do the job for less users. So the 5.000 visitors per day with a max of 80 concurrent users. I am reengineering the DNN Store to a more enhancement one with a Navision gateway (about 500MB size of DB with only data). At webhost4life it is simply too slow. The late start of the compilation of aspx pages is my least worry since enough users will keep the application in the application pool. But the browsing through the shop is not like many of the PHP storefronts like OSCommerce and other PHP based content systems with free db and free Linux licenses.

On a development computer with XP Prof and MS SQL Server Enterprise Developer is runs fine (if you do not debug with VS2005 then it becomes awfull slow), but that is only for 1 or 2 users.

Can you tell me something about the performance on a less sophisticated server?

Jelle