Reviewing WINS Hardware

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Determine whether your current WINS server hardware is sufficient to upgrade to Windows Server 2003. You might need to upgrade your server hardware for optimal WINS performance. A dual-processor WINS server increases performance about 25 percent, and a dedicated disk drive measurably improves WINS server name replication response time.

When selecting your hardware, consider the following performance guidelines:

  • 67Use high-performance disk hardware. WINS causes frequent and intense activity on server hard disks.

  • Consider using a redundant array of independent disks (RAID)-based solution, which improves disk access time.

  • When evaluating the performance of a server, include WINS to ensure the server can handle its demanding use of central processing unit (CPU), memory, and disk input/output (I/O). Monitor server usage to determine whether WINS server hardware needs to be upgraded.

For a current list of compatible hardware, see the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) link on the Web Resources page at https://www.microsoft.com/windows/reskits/webresources.

For more information about determining hardware compatibility, see "Planning for Deployment" in Planning, Testing, and Piloting Deployment Projects of this kit.