Primavera P6

v6.2
System Architecture and Sizing Guide

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Primavera P6 v6.2 System Architecture and Sizing Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................................................................3
P6 SYSTEM SIZING.................................................................................................................................................3
CORE PRIMAVERA COMPONENTS.....................................................................................................................4
DATABASE.................................................................................................................................................................4
SQL Server Express with Advanced Services .................................................................................................4
SQL Server ..........................................................................................................................................................4
Oracle ..................................................................................................................................................................5
Server Sizing .......................................................................................................................................................5
WEB APPLICATION SERVER ....................................................................................................................................6
Server Sizing .......................................................................................................................................................6
GROUP SERVER ........................................................................................................................................................7
Server Sizing .......................................................................................................................................................7
JOB SERVICE ............................................................................................................................................................7
Server Sizing .......................................................................................................................................................7
SOLUTION SCHEMATIC ............................................................................................................................................8
CLIENT INFRASTRUCTURE ..................................................................................................................................8
NETWORK .................................................................................................................................................................8
Citrix/Terminal Server .......................................................................................................................................8
Compression Server...........................................................................................................................................8
Web Client ..........................................................................................................................................................9
FIREWALLS ...............................................................................................................................................................9
LOAD BALANCING AND CLUSTERING ......................................................................................................................9
AUTHENTICATION ....................................................................................................................................................9
Native ..................................................................................................................................................................9
Single Sign On ....................................................................................................................................................9
LDAP ..................................................................................................................................................................10
MAIL SERVER INTEGRATION.................................................................................................................................10
APPLICATION INTEGRATION .................................................................................................................................10
WORKSTATION REQUIREMENTS ...........................................................................................................................10
SECURE COMMUNICATION AND ENCRYPTION......................................................................................................11
LICENSING .............................................................................................................................................................11
BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING ......................................................................................................................11

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Primavera P6 v6.2 System Architecture and Sizing Guide

OVERVIEW
The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the technical architecture behind the
Primavera P6 [v6.2] solution, as well as to outline basic system sizing considerations.

System sizing is addressed in detail during implementation and this guide is only intended to provide basic
examples of how the solution may be configured and sized. It is not a replacement for the consultative
expertise of Primavera and its Partners. Depending on the specific requirements of the Client, the final
solution may differ from those outlined.

This document has not been designed to provide information on the versions of software that could be
deployed in each instance, nor is it a guide for deploying the software itself.

The Primavera Tested Configurations Guide and Administrator’s Guide should be used in conjunction with
this System Architecture and Sizing Guide in order to fulfil these requirements.

P6 SYSTEM SIZING
Time should be taken to understand the scale of the implementation before attempting to gauge the
exact system sizing requirements.

Some of the main factors that influence the size and scale of the P6 solution are contained within the list
below:

Scale of Implementation
Number of Users (concurrent)
Number of Projects
Number of Activities
Number of Resources
Number of Documents
Average Document Size

This list may prove useful for customers, when communicating requirements to Primavera or an approved
Partner.

Primavera recommends that all hardware purchased or utilised by the Client for the proposed Primavera
solution have the facility to be upgraded easily in the future. This enables the Client to expand the
solution within their organisation, without incurring major capital and resource costs through the purchase
and replacement of hardware.

The hardware specifications reflected in this guide have been based exclusively on Windows operating
systems. Primavera supports a wide range of operating systems and recognised equivalents should be
used when sizing for non-Windows based solutions.

Please consult your Primavera representative for more information or refer to the Primavera Tested
Configurations Document. This document is updated regularly and is available for download from the
Primavera Support Knowledgebase [POINT] under Solution ID prim53530 or from your Primavera
representative.

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Primavera P6 v6.2 System Architecture and Sizing Guide

CORE PRIMAVERA COMPONENTS

The P6 solution is based around a number of core components which form a tiered and fully scalable
architecture, suitable for deployment within small, medium or large Enterprises.

The solution is based on industry standard hardware and software, ensuring that it can conform to
stringent Corporate IT policies across a range of industries and verticals.

This guide does not incorporate Contract Management or Cost Manager. Please consult your Primavera
representative for additional documentation specific to these solutions.

Database
Primavera supports both Oracle and SQL Server. Full details of the tested and supported versions are
available in the Primavera Tested Configurations Document. This document is updated regularly and is
available for download from the Primavera Support Knowledgebase [POINT] under Solution ID prim53530
or from your Primavera representative.

Primavera uses dbExpress as the standard interface between its Windows Client components and the
databases. dbExpress is automatically installed by the Primavera Windows Clients that are required to use
it. In addition to dbExpress, end user machines must also have Oracle or SQL Server client software
installed, as dbExpress is dependent on the underlying vendor database drivers for TCP/IP connectivity
with the database server.

Project data and project methodologies are each stored in separate databases within the Primavera
solution. The separate databases usually co-exist on the same server. The Primavera software supports
the creation of multiple database instances as well as database aliasing.

The Client may choose to take into account a number of variables when deciding on which version of
software to select as a database solution. These may include: pre-existing systems, available in-house
support expertise, number of users, number of projects, ease of scalability, licence cost.

Primavera has a duty to all software vendors to remain unbiased and refrain from the recommendation of
one solution over another. While advice may be given based on an individual client’s requirements, the
decision on which software to implement resides with the Client. The available options are:

SQL Server Express with Advanced Services

SQL Server 2005 Express is a data engine built on core SQL Server technology. It supports 1 CPU only. It
also supports multiple databases limited to up to 4 GB per database. An upgrade path exists from MSDE
to SQL Server should user or database requirements change.

The required SQL Server client files are automatically installed on a workstation during the installation of
the Primavera Windows Client, providing connectivity between workstation and database.

SQL Server
SQL Server is a Microsoft database platform that supports larger numbers of users than SQL Server
Express. There are no specific sizing or growth applets for SQL Server. SQL Server maintains itself and
grows automatically with the requirements of the database, dependent upon the options selected within
the software itself.

Primavera supports Unicode for SQL Server. Please refer to the Tested Configurations Document for more
information.

The required SQL Server client files are automatically installed on a workstation during the installation of
the Primavera Windows Client, providing connectivity between workstation and database.

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Oracle
Oracle is an extremely scalable database solution. It does not maintain itself in the same manner as SQL
Server and database sizing is therefore more critical for Oracle DBAs. It is also a more maintenance
intensive database solution. Please contact your Primavera representative for more information on
detailed sizing of the Primavera solution under an Oracle database.

Primavera supports Unicode for Oracle. Please refer to the Tested Configurations Document for more
information.

Note: The client module for Oracle must be installed on the appropriate workstations before connectivity
can be established between the Primavera Windows Client and the database.

Server Sizing
The database server is heavily reliant upon disk I/O (input/output) and CPU. An optimized database
setup with a SCSI interface in a RAID configuration for fast disk access can increase data access on the
database server and increase overall performance. As a rough guide, a database containing something in
the region of 2 Million + activities is generally expected to be less than 20 GB in size.

The following tables refer to a single instance of the Project Management database. Memory sizes do not
include overhead required by the operating system, which varies according to the server version.

Oracle Database Storage Requirements

File Small Medium Large
Temp TBS 300 MB 500 MB 1000 MB
RBS TBS 300 MB 500 MB 1000 MB
Index TBS 250 MB 500 MB 1000 MB
Data TBS 250 MB 500 MB 1000 MB
Lob TBS 250 MB 500 MB 1000 MB
Total 1350 MB 2500 MB 5000 MB
RAM 384 MB 512 MB 1024 MB

SQL Server Database Storage Requirements

File Small Medium Large
Data 300 MB 500 MB 1000 MB
Data Log 150 MB 250 MB 500 MB
Temp 100 MB 200 MB 275 MB
Temp Log 50 MB 100 MB 125 MB
Total 600 MB 1050 MB 1900 MB
RAM 384 MB 512 MB 1024 MB

Database Server Recommended Minimum Requirements

Processor 2 x 3.2 GHz or higher Intel Pentium (or equivalent)
Hard Disk 15k RPM SCIS I/O subsystem across min 6 physical drives
Memory 2 GB

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Web Application Server

Primavera supports three Web Application Servers: JBoss, WebLogic and WebSphere.

Full details of the tested and supported versions are available in the Tested Configurations Document.
This document is updated regularly and is available for download from the Support Knowledgebase
[POINT] under Solution ID prim53530 or from your Primavera representative.

The Client may choose to take into account a number of variables when deciding on which version of
software to select as a Web Application Server. These may include: pre-existing systems, available in-
house support expertise, number of users, number of projects, ease of scalability, licence cost.

Primavera has a duty to all software vendors to remain unbiased and refrain from the recommendation of
one solution over another. While advice may be given based on an individual client’s requirements, the
decision on which software to implement resides with the Client.

Web Application Server Details

Product Users ¹ Character Set Support
JBoss¹ 75 Full International
WebLogic ¹ 200 Full International
WebSphere ¹ 250 English and US only
¹ May be clustered to improve scalability

Web Application Server Recommended

Minimum Requirements
Processor 2 x 3.2 GHz or higher Intel
Pentium (or equivalent)
Hard Disk Space 1 GB
Memory 4 GB
Miscellaneous TCP/IP network protocol

Server Sizing
The Web Application Server is heavily dependent upon the amount of RAM available to the system. The
number of active users or total projects in all active groups can strain the system if undersized. The
minimum requirements above, when used in conjunction with the suggested concurrent users per
processor, give an idea of the guidelines for scaling the Web Application Server.

This does not however take into account any additional software or services that may be running on the
Web Application Server such as Collaboration, Group Server or Job Services. This additional overhead will
impact the hardware requirements and should be taken into account when sizing the solution.

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Group Server
The Primavera Group Server is required whenever an implementation incorporates the TimeSheets
module. Group Server is a Windows 2003 service, which contains the application logic for the TimeSheets
module.

Group Server Minimum Requirements

Hard Disk Space 200 MB
Memory 512 MB
Miscellaneous TCP/IP network protocol

Server Sizing
By nature of the application that it supports, the Group Server normally experiences short periods of
intense use, when system users are required to update their timesheets, perhaps weekly or bi-weekly.
The Group Server can occasionally be installed alongside the Web Application Server, the Collaboration
Server or Job Service. This additional overhead will impact the overall hardware requirements and should
be taken into account when sizing the solution.

In principle it can be installed on any Windows 2003 server that has constant access to the database.

Multiple load-balanced Group Servers can be utilised to achieve greater scalability when there are large
numbers of concurrent users.

Job Service
The Primavera Job Service is a Windows 2003 Service that runs defined jobs on project data at pre-
defined intervals. Job details are entered via the Primavera Windows Client and stored in the database.
The Job Service periodically reads this information from the database and performs the jobs.

The distributed Job Service is an extension of the Job Service that enables a controller machine to
manage multiple servers running the Job Service. Please refer to the appropriate section of the Primavera
6.0 Administration Guide for more information.

Job Service Minimum Requirements

Hard Disk Space 250 MB
Memory 512 MB

Server Sizing
In principle the Job Service can be installed on any server that has constant access to the database. The
available options would normally either be the Web Application Server, the Collaboration Server or the
Group Server. This additional overhead will impact the overall hardware requirements and should be
taken into account when sizing the solution.

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Solution Schematic
The diagram provides a logical overview of the core components and the connections between them.

CLIENT INFRASTRUCTURE
The P6 solution intersects a number of key areas within the IT infrastructure of the Client organisation.
Careful consideration may need to be paid to one or more of the following areas.

Network
Where clients are unable to provide high speed data connections back to the central database, either
across the Internet or across a global LAN/WAN, or where network latency is high, Primavera
recommends the use of one of the solutions outlined below.

Citrix/Terminal Server
A Citrix or Terminal Server solution can be employed for the deployment of the P6 Windows Client.
The implementation and support of any Citrix/Terminal Server solution remains the responsibility of the
Client.

Compression Server
Primavera can alternatively provide a Compression Server for use in low bandwidth locations. The
Compression Server resides close to the central database and can greatly reduce bandwidth utilisation. A
comprehensive White Paper is available for this solution. Please contact your Primavera representative for
more information.
Compression Server is currently only available for Oracle implementations.

Bandwidth/Product Recommendations
56 K - 5M B Citrix/Terminal Server
5 MB - 10 MB Compression Server
> 10 MB Windows Client Access

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Web Client
The Web Client provides users with extensive functionality without the requirement for the use of a
Windows Client and can be used across the Internet or a Global WAN. Please note that the available
bandwidth may still have an impact on the performance of the product.

Firewalls
Primavera supports the use of Firewalls with all of its solutions.

The following default ports are used by Primavera, all of which may be configured:

Application and TCP/IP Port

Web Client (WebLogic) 7001
Web Client (JBoss) 8080
Web Client (WebSphere) 9080
Windows Client (Oracle DB) 1521
Windows Client (MSSQL DB) 1433
TimeSheets (Group Server) 9002
API 9099

The implementation and support of any firewall solution remains the responsibility of the Client.

Load Balancing and Clustering

Primavera utilises industry standard technologies in the deployment of its solution. The system is
designed to be fully scalable and can be managed across server farms and/or load balanced using
recognised methods.

Web servers can be clustered or managed using both hardware and/or software based load balancing
technology in order to improve response times and to accommodate any increase in concurrent
utilisation. This ensures high availability across the solution, enhances performance and provides
redundancy.

The implementation and support of any load balancing or clustering solution remains the responsibility of
the Client.

Authentication
Primavera supports three authentication modes: Native, Single Sign On, and LDAP.

Native
Native authentication is the default mode for all Primavera modules. In this mode, when a user attempts
to log in to a Primavera module, authentication is handled directly through the module with the Primavera
database acting as the authority.

Single Sign On
Single Sign On authentication, which provides access control for Web applications, is available for Group
Server and the Web Client. In this mode, when a user attempts to log in to a Primavera module
(protected resource), a Web agent intercepts the request and prompts the user for login credentials. The
user’s credentials are passed to a policy server and authenticated against a user data store. With Single
Sign On, a user logs on only once and is authenticated for all Web applications for the duration of the
browser session, provided that all Web applications authenticate against the same policy server.

Primavera supports Netegrity’s Site Minder for the implementation of Single Sign On.

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LDAP
LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is directory-based authentication and is available for both
Windows and Web Clients. In this mode, when a user attempts to log in to a Primavera module, the
user’s identity is confirmed in an LDAP-compliant directory server database e.g. Active Directory.

Regardless of the authentication scheme chosen, Primavera controls user authorization through its native
application logic.

Mail Server Integration

Primavera supports Internet email (SMTP) or MAPI systems.

The mail server configuration is carried out in both the Windows and the Web Clients. Please refer to the
appropriate section of the P6 Administration Guide for more information.

The P6 Web Client only supports SMTP

Application Integration
Primavera provides out of the box integration with its own extensive suite of products as well as a
number of key third party applications.

Integration Options
Integration Point Description
Primavera 5.x and 6.x Exchange projects between solutions through import/export facility
Primavera Contractor Exchange projects between solutions through import/send project facility
Primavera Contract Management Integrated (web-based) Contract Management
Primavera Project Planner Professional Migrate P3 projects through import/export facility
Microsoft Project Exchange projects and data between MSP and Primavera (MPP, MPD or MPX format)
MS Excel Import and Export data to/from Excel
XML Import and Export Project data in xml format
E-Mail Import Calendar information (MS Outlook) and send notifications via email
Other Applications (Oracle, SAP etc) Primavera Integration API ¹

¹ The Primavera Integration API provides access to data and functionality between Primavera and any other
business solution. A comprehensive White Paper is available for the Primavera Integration API. Please contact your
Primavera representative for more information.

Workstation Requirements
The P6 Windows Client is compiled as a 32-bit executable.

The P6 Web Client is developed using Java and HTML.

The following recommended minimum hardware requirements should be observed:

Windows Client Recommended Minimum

Requirements
Processor 1 x 2.8 GHz or higher Intel
Pentium 4 (or equivalent)
Hard Disk Space 230 MB free ¹
Memory 1 GB
Miscellaneous TCP/IP network protocol
¹ Plus 575 MB for SQL Server Express with Advanced Services for standalone installation

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Primavera P6 v6.2 System Architecture and Sizing Guide

Web Client Recommended Minimum

Requirements
Processor 1 x 2.8 GHz or higher Intel
Pentium 4 (or equivalent)
Hard Disk Space 25 MB free
Memory 1 GB
Miscellaneous TCP/IP network protocol

TimeSheets Recommended Minimum

Requirements
Memory 256 MB

For minimum software requirements please refer to the Tested Configurations Document, which is
available for download from the Support Knowledgebase [POINT] under Solution ID prim53530 or from
your Primavera representative.

Secure Communication and Encryption

The Primavera Web Client supports standard SSL, 128-bit SSL and HTTPS.

Primavera stores passwords and license information in an encrypted format in the database. All other
data, including binary, is stored unencrypted.

In previous versions of Primavera, testing was performed using database encryption layers such as
Secure Oracle. These tests did not yield problems with the Primavera application, however the use of
encryption may impact performance.

Licensing
In order to operate the system, the appropriate software licences must be in place.

Database licences are available directly from the Database Vendor and are sold based on a variety of
models. The model chosen will depend upon the specific requirements of the Client. More information
may be found on the Database Vendor websites or by contacting them directly. In general, licences are
based on Server/Processors and/or Devices/Users.

Web Application Server licences are required for BEA WebLogic or IBM WebSphere. BEA WebLogic
Express licences are available directly from Primavera. A Tomcat licence is shipped with every Primavera
order. Please contact your Primavera representative for more information.

It is the responsibility of the Client to ensure that they have sufficient licences in place to support the
implementation of the Primavera solution.

Business Continuity Planning

The use of industry standard technology ensures that the Primavera solution can conform easily to the
existing BCP strategy of any organisation. The scenarios outlined in this document do not incorporate any
requirements that the Client may have for secure backup and/or failover in order to align the solution
with any existing Corporate IT policies relating to BCP.

It remains the responsibility of the Client to work with Primavera to ensure that the proposed solution is
aligned with the Corporate BCP strategy.

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