Server capabilities

[troutstudio]

I know that this is a difficult question to answer, but I must ask anyway (sorry) I have set up, using advice from this forum, a successful FMP 9 adv server on a G4 800mhz, running OS X server 10.4.11. The server is dedicated to Filemaker. It is connected directly to the switch in our University networks centre. I write web surveys for this machine and they work a treat. The machine has been very stable. I keep a close eye on it and don't mess with it. I have just been asked to write a small (10 question) survey which will go out to 16 Universities and they are expecting responses from up to 1000 students per university. They will be asked to respond during May and early June. My question: removing our university bandwidth from the equation - do you think this server can handle that type of load? I looked the email request and blanched a little. The server has been rock solid but could this bring it down? Any experience you can pass on would be very much appreciated at this point. Thank you - Paul.

[Vaughan]

Is the G4 box running both FMS and the Web Publishing Engine? Is it also running the web server (Apache)?

I'd suggest the box is at the low end of the range. It's easy to look rock solid with only a few users.

How bad will it be if the box falls over?

I used to work in academia. There will be *somebody* that'll have a better specified machine lying around not doing much, and lend it to you for a couple of months. Even a PC.

A G4 800 MHz is a class of machine that's almost dumpster grade now.

[IdealData]

Have you considered some short term hosting using one of the FM Hosting companies?

You will get a top end machine and more bandwidth than you can deliver.

[troutstudio]

Thanks for the responses. I have decided to run this one on SurveyMonkey. I thought about a loaner machine, but with the Easter break, the set up time looked insufficient. I feel confident in beaing able to set up Adv Server on a loaner box, but the network policy would mean a lot of hassling to get the machine visible through the proxy. I also checked out external hosting, but for a 10 question survey it seemed too much hassle. I can use this situation to continue pressing for a new xServer - so far, 12 months gone by and no action. Maybe this will do it.