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Although one VolanoChat server ran quite well for months on a 100 MHz Intel 486 notebook computer over a dedicated 28.8 Kbps dial up connection, you'll probably want something more powerful if you plan to build a large community at your Web site. The recommendations given below will help you put together the necessary hardware, software, and network connections for running the VolanoChat server.
We recommend at least a system equivalent to the following for running a VolanoChat server on a Web site with relatively heavy traffic:
You may want to have 256 MB of RAM if your Web site has very heavy traffic or if you plan to run multiple VolanoChat servers on the same machine. The VolanoChat product itself takes up less than 2 MB of disk space, but its log files can grow quite large with a lot of chat connections. With access logging enabled, you should allow 250 bytes of disk space for every person entering your VolanoChat server. Disk space of 25 MB will allow enough space for your log files to record access for more than 100,000 people.
To run the VolanoChat server, all you need is a Java virtual machine and a Web server. The VolanoChat server application runs on any Java Compatible™ operating system running a Java virtual machine at version 1.1 or later.
We generally recommend the latest Java virtual machine implementation available from your operating system vendor. We specifically recommend the Java virtual machines listed for the operating systems below. For these operating systems, make sure to read the detailed instructions in the Server Tips and Tricks chapter.
For other operating systems, you can usually download the support in the form of a Java Development Kit (JDK). The Java vendor sites are listed below.
Java support for operating systems not listed here can be found at:
To run the VolanoChat and MyVolanoChat applets, all you need is a Java Compatible™ Web browser. The following browsers have the required Java support:
The only network traffic generated by VolanoChat is from delivering the applet to those visiting your site for the first time and from the chat message traffic itself.
The VolanoChat and MyVolanoChat applets themselves are quite small. Their complete sizes for Version 2.0.0 Build 218 are listed below. The sizes given are for downloading all of the applet's code—not just the initial or core download.
Browser VolanoChat MyVolanoChat Netscape Navigator 3.0 112 KB 94 KB Netscape Communicator 4.0 56 KB 47 KB Microsoft Internet Explorer 47 KB 40 KB
Table 2.1: VolanoChat applet download sizes.
The applet is downloaded into the browser automatically when your Web site visitors go to your chat page. The applet is then stored in the browser's cache and is downloaded again only when you upgrade to a new VolanoChat applet version.
Based on the statistics from our own demonstration VolanoChat server, you should allow for roughly 80 kilobytes for every person who enters the chat server—30 kilobytes for the chat messages and 50 kilobytes for the applet and its resources, not counting the bytes required to deliver any advertising banners. Most of the people coming to our site are now repeat visitors with many of the files in their Web browser's cache, so you may have higher traffic initially. Each chat connection lasts for about 30 minutes on average.
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