To manage server load during online exams, both hardware and software solutions are required. Hardware solutions include using servers with dual Xeon processors, 4GB RAM, load balancing techniques like DNS-based round robin. Software solutions involve using Ajax to reduce data loads, pre-caching result data in XML files to avoid database queries, and delivering results in phases by SMS, email, and multiple websites. Load balancing can distribute traffic across servers to prevent overloading.

1. Balancing the load on Servers In connection with Online Exams - Ramesh Kumar B

2. Managing Server Load & Avoid Crashing Managing servers is a huge task when it comes to declaring results. We offer multiple ways to handle the load. Hardware solution Software solution

3. Managing Server Load - Software Hardware Requirements: Dual XEON processors 4 GB RAM Same System configuration for all web servers in web farm. T1 Line/ Excellent backbone Software requirements: Web farm with 4 or more Windows 2003/2008 servers Asp.net 2.0 or later version with AJAX SQL Server 2000/2005 Load balancing

4. Mirror and Client based approach DNS-based approach Dispatcher based approach Server based approach Load Balancing Techniques

5. Managing Server Load – DNS Based Servers with min 4 Gb RAM & Dual Xeons 100 Mbps port Multiple Servers- Internet Service Provider (ISP) maps all servers DNS based Load balancing & round robin with flexibility to add or remove a node whenever required.

6. Server Scheduling Round-Robin Scheduling Treat all real servers as equals regardless of number of connections or response time Weighted Round-Robin Scheduling Servers of different processing capacities. Each server can be assigned a weight Least connection scheduling Direct requests to the server with the least number of active connections Weighted Least connection scheduling Superset of the least connection scheduling Performance weight can be assigned to each server The server with a higher weight value will receive a larger percentage of active connection

7. Managing Server Load - Software Software solution Use Ajax technologies and features of asp.net (some applications running on Ajax – google maps, gmail, Outlook express web version) Non Ajax - may take 40+ seconds to pull 800 K data from server to the client machine Ajax – May take 10 seconds to pull 80 K data (equivalent to 800K) for the same query. Keep the results page simple. Don’t use images.

8. Managing Server Load - Software Marks Memo Template loaded Multiple XML result files loaded to cache on the server When candidate enters the Admit card number, get relevant data and replace placeholders.

9. Managing Server Load - Software Coding: Initial screen loaded as marks memo template with placeholders for actual marks details. All the results data exported into multiple XML files based on the hall ticket range. All XML files loaded into Cache at the time of first request. All subsequent queries use the cached XML files to speed-up the process. No database queries needed as the data is already in XML format. When the user enters hall ticket No. and submits the form, the request should be processed using AJAX style instead of traditional page refresh. This will avoid the load on web server and decrease the network traffic. Place holders in marks memo template are replaced with marks/rank/candidate values returned by web server using JavaScript or ASP.net AJAX model.

10. Managing Server Load - Software Software solution Phased delivery of results – SMS, Email and Web Send results by SMS at 5 PM Send results by emails at 5 PM Declare results on multiple servers at 7 PM Same results data on different websites Client websites Your websites Partner websites Call center