Remote application server Architecture

[JPReyes]

Hi,

I have a requirement where I need to consider having an application server in a different city. This is a simple case of we either make a lot of the connections  travel through the WAN or we install a remote application server and then the only thing that travels is the communications in between the SAP instances. 

I believe the most important thing here will be the latency/speed of the link. Does anyone worked in a similar scenario that can share their experience?..

Regards, Juan

[Former Member]

Do you mean one system with instances in different cities, or multiple systems?

If the first, I'd say that's a bad idea. All the DB traffic will have to travel over the WAN. That will surely hurt performance badly. Not that I've actually tried it

Steve.

[JPReyes]

Hi Steve,

One system with an instance on a a different location... The idea will be that all the interphases and GUI's and other devices will connect to the local instance rather than having individual connections traveling on the WAN..

More than the speed of the Link, I believe the latency will be essential.

The idea of the exercise will be gaining on performance. But I will like to know if there is someone that use this model and if this is a goer or not?

Regards, Juan

[Former Member]

Remember all the ABAP will run on the local instance, but it will be querying and updating a DB at the current central site. All the DB traffic will go over the WAN. Any large query will send a lot of data over that link. SAPgui uses a pretty lightweight protocol - I would expect you'd need to have a lot of local SAPgui connections concentrated through this remote instance before you'd get any payback.

As I said, this is only theory for me - I've never tried it. But I'm not convinced it makes any sense. I'll stop theorising now and let somebody with actual experience chime in!

Steve.

[JPReyes]

All valid points... we will have quite a few connection not only GUI's but also, devices connection to ICM and other third party talking to it.  This is why I want to check my options with the aim to obtaining the best performance either way. I'm expecting the DB intensive tasks will not be done through the remote application server (hopefully )

Regards, JP