I have a question about setting up a server where about 20 users will be logging in and using it at the same time. I'm estimating the CPU and RAM needs, but I'm unsure if I should include a GPU for this server. The applications they'll be using aren't GPU-intensive, and our current server runs just fine without a GPU since it relies on integrated graphics. I'm concerned that a lack of a GPU might lead to bottlenecking or other issues due to so many simultaneous logins. Can anyone clarify how the GPU impacts this situation?
5 Answers
Are you planning to use RDS or VDI for all those users at once? That could change things.
It really depends on how you're connecting. Most remote desktop protocols (RDP) usually utilize software rendering, which means they rely more on the CPU. In some setups, you can configure it to use the host's GPU, but that's not the default. The connection method matters as many remote systems encode video and mirror the screen, using host resources for that."
Yeah, and then there are other methods like Terradici chipsets and Nvidia's server-based options for handling remote desktops.
Definitely focus on RAM and CPU as they will be your main priorities for handling multiple connections. If you can offload storage to services like Azure files or use another server with FSLogix, that'll also help reduce CPU and RAM usage.
Honestly, I doubt a GPU will be your bottleneck. We had a similar server setup and found that roaming profiles were the real slowdown factor. Just ensure you're not using roaming profiles and that the server has enough memory, and you should be good to go.
Unless everyone plans to stream videos at the same time, a GPU probably isn’t necessary. The software rendering should be sufficient and will leverage the CPU for rendering tasks instead.
Nope, the server will just be hosting shared accounting software for everyone.