DISA helps ensure availability by balancing traffic loads across multiple application servers rather than relying on a single server with lots of memory and processors. Their reliability is superb, and they'll run Microsoft applications as well as they can be run. Purchase offers initiated by buyers on the Web site are distributed across the array of ProLiant servers via a bank of Cisco Local Directors, which provide intelligent load balancing functionality. Programmers and site designers use Compaq Professional Workstation 5100 systems to create Web pages and the fundamental code that supports the patented business process. The Workstations are tied to ProLiant 6000 and 7000 servers, which run the development software and support office networking.
Scalability is terrific, because it's easy to add processors or servers to as demand grows.
It's easy enough to throw servers at every problem, but that can get expensive, especially when you have to double the IT staff needed to manage the servers. It's hard to keep a thousand of anything going. As we continue to add product lines and experience staggering traffic growth, we're looking for more processing power from fewer servers. So we're moving in the direction of multiple-processor servers, like the ProLiant 6400. If four processors are better than two, then eight processors are four times as nice, especially when that means enhanced processing power, fewer servers to manage and a rack-mountable, compact form factor.