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The database that AvaPA uses can be installed in one of three situations or environments.  

A stand alone dedicated or shared SQL Server

• On your local machine as part of a one or two machine small network
• On a Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) Standard or premium edition

We use MS SQL 

The considerations for AvaPA server implementation are the same as any MS SQL install: 

• The faster the disk (array) the better
• The more SQL server memory the better
• The less defragmented the better. 

AvaPA has typically out performed competing products on the same equipment platform. It has particularly low minimum requirements. This is because of good design.  

There are some guidelines which are worthwhile to take care of:

All service packs should be up to date.

Antivirus should be up to date

Antivirus exclude SQL data, log and backup files. 

Disk usage:

In very broad terms an AvaPA database uses around 2GB of data to store details of 1 million shifts including employee and customer data.  Mileage may vary. 

Which version of MS SQL?

This above usage means that the MSSQL (MSDE) Express 2000 can store in the region of 500,000 to 1 million shifts and MSSQL Express 2005 one to two million shifts. MSSQL Express is provided free as part of the AvaPA licence. Above this figure either the Premium Edition of Small Business Server (SBS) is required or a full SQL licence. 

The minimum installation requirements for MS SQL 2005 Express are here:

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/sysreqs.mspx

Disk Allocation:

AvaPA will run on a modern stand alone PC running XP, Vista or Windows 2003 Server. The following considerations apply to a small to medium size agency using a network with up to 75 users.MSSQL will carry out read and write tasks simultaneously. Reading from the data file and writing to the log file. It follows that in an ideal world, the Data and Log files should be on separate drives. It is generally considered good practise to separate data and system drives. This means, the size of a data drive for only Ava Data files is 10GB and this is likely to be adequate for SME Agencies for some considerable time. The block size should be 64k. The approach of having a dedicated logical drive for AvaPA data means that disk fragmentation will not become a performance factor. At which point technology will have moved on. The standard considerations apply when considering raid arrays.  

The considerations for SAN storage differ. 

Memory Usage:

If you purchase SBS standard edition, you will find that there is already at least one instance of SQL running. With today’s memory prices: the Ava instance should be allocated a minimum of 500MB of ram with 1GB preferable. This should be fixed memory.  

Single or dual users:

AvaPA will run on a modern stand alone PC running XP or Vista. 2GB of memory is recommended in these circumstances. If there are two users then a “duo” or multi-core processor is recommended. 

Do I need a new server to go with my new software? 

Until about 18 months ago, AvaPA was running on a 1 GHz NT 4 server supporting about a dozen users and one to two hundred thousand shifts. For each user switching between the various screens took between one and three seconds. This server was in the region of six or seven years old. Even the cheapest server you can now buy would be 30 times faster. So when we say AvaPA has no special requirements, to give you excellent service, we do so with a tremendous amount of justification.