Paul,
   I would certainly be interested in details of your evaluation. Would it be possible to post to the list in general, unless it is extensive or confidential?

uPortal is a framework, rather than a set of recommended components. It comes in a ready to run version that includes Tomcat as the application server and Hypersonic SQL as the internal database. These are chosen because they are free to distribute, but the framework philosophy suggests that best of breed solutions can be swapped in/out. We will be using Ingres as database, because it builds on existing local  expertise, but Oracle is often one of choice. 
We will remain open minded about Tomcat, though some sites prefer Resin, as the application server.  I guess it's good to have the choice.

In terms of 'What is light-weight?', there was recently a load testing evaluation done by Sun & Ja-Sig, on a pre-release version of uPortal2. They tested up to 750 concurrent logins/ 472 transactions per second. Nothing broke, but bottlenecks were observed at the Webserver (a single Apache running on a Sun E420R) probably because the  100M network was reaching maximum. Good performance increases were observed by using a server farm approach, rather than a single application server. Some of the observations from these tests have led to improved stylesheet caching in the recently released version 2.00.
Another more anecdotal account is that "the Massachusetts Virtual Education System delayed uPortal implementation on advice that uPortal is not yet ready to support 1 million users." I suspect that some exaggeration has crept in there (minutes of a Ja-Sig meeting last September) but knock off a zero and I'm still happy.

We're spending some time trying to establish our performance criteria. We're going for a gradual roll-out strategy, but even when the whole population is using the portal, I can't see 750 concurrent logins (that's not 750 online at once, but 750 users all doing the most intensive operation, login, all at once) . There will be some exceptional periods of load of course (exam results, module registration) but we hit this issue anyway with existing web based services. The only time we really notice problems is with Virtual Learning Environments (and especially online assessments) when a class is instructed to all login at once. 

When would other institutions put down on a hypothetical requirements specification for a portal, in terms of supporting concurrent usage, and response times? 

Best wishes,
Steve

PS Those who would like to get a real look under the bonnet and to quiz one of the lead designers should book into the uPortal training course at
http://www.eis.nottingham.ac.uk/compass/training/index.htm IBS have announced an early bird discount. I assume there's nothing like VAT to pay so it looks like $1250 for three days.





Stephen Brydges
Learning Support Services
Floor 12, Tower
University of Nottingham
NG7 2RD
0115 9515035

>>> [log in to unmask] 12/03/2002 13:19:10 >>>
We've been evaluating portal products here at the University of
Sheffield and feel that u-portal is too light-weight for our proposed use.

We want a portal that uses a robust application server . To this end
we've been looking at Oracle Portal Server and iPlanet Portal Server.

If anybody would like more information about our findings thus far
please let me know.