• Article

Hardware and software requirements (Search Server 2010)

 

Applies to: Search Server 2010

Topic Last Modified: 2011-09-08

This article describes the minimum hardware and software requirements for installing and using Search Server 2010 or Search Server 2010 Express. This article does not discuss hardware requirements for scaling out a farm topology for increased availability, capacity, and performance.

Note

Unless otherwise noted, the information in this article applies to both Microsoft Search Server 2010 and Microsoft Search Server 2010 Express. In this article, the term "Search Server" refers to Microsoft Search Server 2010 or Search Server 2010 Express.

In this article:

  • Hardware requirements

  • Software requirements

  • Installing software prerequisites manually

Hardware requirements

Note

If you contact Microsoft technical support about a production system that does not meet the minimum hardware specifications that are described in this article, support will be limited until the system is upgraded to the minimum requirements.

Component Minimum requirement

Processor

64-bit, four core

RAM

For development: 4 gigabytes (GB)

For evaluation or single-server production use: 8 GB

For multiple-server production use: 16 GB

The following memory amounts are recommended for the computer that is running SQL Server in a production environment.

 

Total size of content databases Recommended RAM

Minimum for multiple-server farm

16 GB

Up to 2 terabytes

32 GB

2 terabytes to 5 terabytes

64 GB

5 terabytes to 10 terabytes

64 GB to 129 GB

Note

These values are higher than the recommended minimum values for SQL Server because of the distribution of data required for a SharePoint 2010 Products environment. For more information, see Hardware and software requirements for installing SQL Server 2008 R2 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=129377).

Hard disk

80 GB for system drive

In addition to the 80 GB minimum for the system drive, for production use the computer should have twice as much free disk space as it has RAM.

Note

The search system stores the full-text index in the file system of the query servers. Hard disk space required for the full-text index can vary from approximately 2 GB for a full-text index that contains 300,000 items to approximately 1 terabyte for a full-text index that contains 100 million items.

Software requirements

Note

Search Server 2010 does not support single-label domain names. For more information, see Configuring Windows for domains with single-label DNS names (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=193849).

Server or client computer Minimum requirement

Database server

Note

This information about the database server requirement applies only when you install by using the Server Farm option. When you install by using the Standalone option, SQL Server 2008 Express is automatically installed and fulfills all database requirements for the deployment.

One of the following:

  • The 64-bit edition of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Cumulative Update 2 (CU2). From the Cumulative update package 2 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=165962) page, click the View and request hotfix downloads link and follow the instructions. On the Hotfix Request page, download the SQL_Server_2008_SP1_Cumulative_Update_2 file.

    Note

    • We do not recommend that you use CU3 or CU4. We recommend that instead you use CU2, CU5, or a CU later than CU5.

    • When you install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 SP1 on Windows Server 2008 R2, you might receive a compatibility warning. You can disregard this warning and continue with the installation.

  • The 64-bit edition of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 with Service Pack 3 (SP3) with Cumulative update package 3 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=165748). On the Cumulative update package 3 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3 page, click the View and request hotfix downloads link and follow the instructions. On the Hotfix Request page, download the SQL_Server_2005_SP3_Cumulative_Update_3 file.

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2.

Application server or Web server

Both of the following:

  • Operating system

    One of the following:

    • The 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server with Service Pack 2 (SP2). If you are running Windows Server 2008 without SP2, the Microsoft SharePoint Products Preparation Tool installs Windows Server 2008 SP2 automatically.

    • The 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server.

  • All other software prerequisites

    You can automatically install all Search Server software prerequisites other than the base operating system and database software by clicking Install software prerequisites on the Search Server splash screen. For more information, see Install Search Server 2010 or Search Server 2010 Express. Alternatively, you can manually install the Search Server software prerequisites. For information about Web sites where the prerequisites are available, see Installing software prerequisites manually later in this article.

    Note

    If you do not have an Internet connection for the farm servers, you will have to obtain installable images for the required software. We recommend that you create an installation point for storing the installable images. You can also use this installation point for installing future software updates.

    The following list indicates all of the Search Server software prerequisites other than the base operating system and database software.

Client computer

A supported browser. For more information, see Plan browser support (SharePoint Server 2010).

Installing software prerequisites manually

You can go to the Web sites listed in this section to manually install Search Server software prerequisites. You can install the Web server (IIS) role and the application server role in Server Manager.