r with minimal end-user intervention. We wanted to test how close each of the systems comes to actually being a turnkey solution.
The six servers all came with a high-end processor, such as a SuperSparc, MicroSparc, Alpha, PowerPC, or dual Pentiums, with speeds ranging from 75 to 266 MHz. We also had a mix of OSes: Solaris 5.4, Irix 5.3, Windows NT Server 3.51, and Apple System 7.5. Three of the vendors--Silicon Graphics, Sun Microsystems, and Intergraph--selected Netscape Communications' Server 1.22 for their Web software. Digital Equipment provided Process Software's Purveyor 1.1, and Apple selected StarNine Technologies' WebStar 1.2.4.
In terms
of price, Tatung's MicroCompstation 5/11 is the least expensive server here; it costs $8635 with monitor. The next least-expensive server we tested is Apple's Workgroup Server 9150 at $8799, which targets small businesses. The Digital Equipment Internet AlphaServer 1000 4/266 is the highest at $20,690. All the prices listed here are for the configurations as we tested them and the software bundled with the systems.
We tested the servers under TCP/IP in two scenarios that most likely represent real-world use. The first scenario stresses the FTP aspect of the server, using 88 percent of FTP requests and 6 percent each of HTTP and Wide Area Information Service (WAIS) requests. The second scenario represents the most common usage pattern of HTTP services, stressing the servers with 97 percent of HTTP, 2 percent of FTP, and 1 percent of WAIS requests. These scenarios simulate the different traffic patterns that Web servers have to handle over the Internet.
Web servers can be used by small businesses
(e.g., ad agencies, marketing firms, or consultants) or by large corporations as in-house servers. The server loads differ for small and large sites. If you are looking for a server to handle thousands or tens of thousands of hits a day, then you need a system capable of listening to all the requests and responding to them in an orderly fashion, while not missing any requests; this solution is not inexpensive. Sites facing lower levels of traffic require less horsepower and could get by with a lower-cost server. The amount of expected traffic is the key to your buying decision. Virtually any advanced PC can act as a Web server, but it takes some muscle to handle a really cool site on the Web.
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
We ranked the best Web servers based on their performance scores, features, and ease of use.
Performance Ratings:
These ratings are calculated from the individual performance scores generated from FTP and HT
TP transactions. We varied the number of client sessions that access the server, ranging from eight to 48 virtual clients.
Price (without monitor):
Check the Roll Call on pages 132 to 133 (not available on-line) to see if the system is available without the monitor. Buying a high-resolution monitor is overkill if you're going to be using the system as a dedicated server.
Length of Standard Warranty:
Warranty and support policies vary from one to three years. Check the Roll Call under this heading to see if the vendor offers extended warranties and how long technical support lasts.
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6 Servers Tangle on the Web
