Enterprise servers consist of the platform hardware and the operating system that together support the operating environment to support application and database servers that serve the entire NIH organization. They typically serve hundreds, if not thousands, of concurrent users and utilize high availability and redundant configurations to minimize downtime.
Mid-range servers consist of the platform hardware and operating system that together support the operating environment for applications and databases that serve a smaller group of users.Because the distinctions between enterprise and mid-range servers depend on subjective estimates of workload magnitude, this brick addresses both enterprise and mid-range servers. These standards are meant to provide guidance when selecting a server for a new application or when upgrading the server environment for an existing application. It cannot replace the capacity planning and operational support analysis needed to ensure the new server environment (including storage subsystems and peripherals) that is not addressed here is capable of meeting the size, maintainability, performance, and availability requirements of the business. This brick provides baseline information and the future direction for deploying enterprise and mid-range servers at NIH in terms of the preferred hardware platform.