Additional Scalability Information

You already have tremendous research materials on scalability at your fingertips if you have access to the web and the Microsoft products discussed in this book. Some of the best sources are to be found in white papers published on the Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN), the online help that accompanies each product, and in books and magazines devoted to Microsoft products. The online help for administrators is often most helpful when it comes to scalability hints.

We find the definitive source for architectural guidance on designing and building .NET solutions is in Patterns and Practices (msdn.microsoft.com/practices). This is a treasure trove of thousands of pages of information distilled from technical support, Microsoft consulting, partners , and customers. Not only are these prescriptive architectures created and approved by Microsoft, but they are supported by Product Support Services. Following these recommendations reduces technical risk for your implementation and is a simple form of insurance against the unknown incompatibilities you may discover on your independent integration efforts.

Patterns and Practices is available for download and on CD. Some content from it is also printed in book form. A great place to start is the Microsoft Systems Architecture “Enterprise Data Center. This resource is the foundation for Windows 2000/2003 servers including file/print services, Exchange, and SQL Server. The Microsoft Systems Architecture illustrates the principles it covers with specific hardware configurations, from Compaq (now HP) Proliant DL360 servers all the way to Unisys ES7000 servers.