PlanetTogether IT Reference Guide 

Overview 
This guide will help IT personnel determine how their existing hardware and network 
infrastructure can be used or expanded to support PlanetTogether software. This guide will cover 
hardware requirements for a server as well as end user’s computers, failover and recovery, and 
possible impact on users from limited networks. Content provided is for planning and informative 
purposes only. This guide does not contain step by step instructions for implementing or 
configuring PlanetTogether software features. 

References to the phrase ‘PlanetTogether’ in this document refers to the Advanced Planning and 
Scheduling software provided by PlanetTogether Inc. 

Note that this is not the PlanetTogether installation guide. Installation instructions can be found 
online at download.planettogether.com. 

Hardware Selection 
The recommended hardware depends on if PlanetTogether will be running on a dedicated 
machine, or sharing resources with other demanding applications. If running PlanetTogether on a 
dedicated machine, the Workstation recommendation is ideal. If the machine will be running 
other applications such as SQL server, ERP software, or PlanetTogether clients (even on other 
isolated virtual machines) the server recommendation will provide better results. PlanetTogether 
may be run on virtual environments with no additional hardware requirements. 

Note that cpu speed is the most impactful component on PlanetTogether performance. Faster 
cpu speeds will result in noticeable speed improvements.  

Minimum Requirements 

The minimum recommendation is a cpu with four cores and a speed of 2.3 ghz. PlanetTogether 
must be running on an environment with at least 2 dedicated cpu cores. The server should have 
10 gb of free disk space per instance for transactional data files. 

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Recommended Workstation Specifications 

● CPU: Latest intel i7 of AMD Ryzen. 4.0 ghz or faster 

○ Example: Intel i7 7700K  
○ Example: AMD Ryzen 1800x 
● Memory 
○ 32 gb if ​under ​20,000 orders across all active instances 
○ 64 gb if ​over ​20,000 orders across all active instances 

Recommended Server Specifications 

● CPU: Latest intel Xeon or i9. 3.8 ghz or faster 

○ At least 4 cores should be dedicated to the PlanetTogether environment 
● Memory 
○ Dedicated 32 gb if ​under ​20,000 orders across all active instances 
○ Dedicated 64 gb if ​over ​20,000 orders or using End User method 2 (below) 

   

662 Encinitas Boulevard, Suite 280 T: 888.317.8807

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PlanetTogether Data Volume Performance 
PlanetTogether’s architecture is designed to provide the fastest possible responsiveness to users 
in data intensive applications. All data is loaded into computer memory for processing that is 
much faster than disk-based operations that are common in traditional databases. The 
memory-resident data objects also have direct links to each other designed in, to allow for fast 
access to needed information without relying on time-consuming lookups that are also common 
in many other traditional database systems. The software also utilizes multi-threading extensively. 
The result is that in most businesses, small or large, PlanetTogether will provide schedule 
optimizations and adjustments in minutes or even seconds, resulting in a system that is easier 
and more enjoyable to use.  

The most important factors affecting performance are: (1) the number of operations in the 
schedule, (2) the features in use, and (3) the computer hardware. 

Benchmarks

Below are benchmarks from a sample system. The hardware used to perform the tests had the 
specifications matching the Workstation Recommended Specifications above (both server and 
client components were installed on the Workstation). 

Please note that these benchmarks are based on a sample factory model containing 100 
Resources with random Need Dates. ​The only way to be sure of actual performance and memory 
requirements is to build a representative model of the particular factory with the required features 
and actual data volumes, running on the computers to be used​. This ​knowledgebase article 
provides tips for performance tuning. 

 
# Scheduled Operations  Seconds for full Optimize 

100  instantaneous 

1,000  0.5 

5,000  2 

10,000  4 

50,000  17 

100,000  48 

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PlanetTogether End Users 

There are three common ways to run the PlanetTogether client application. In each case, the 
client computer needs access to the PlanetTogether server on the standard installation tcp ports. 
No other internet access is required. Allowing user access to planettogether.com may be helpful 
for online help and support resources. End users normally run a PlanetTogether login application 
that automatically retrieves the latest client updates. This allows for upgrades to PlanetTogether 
without additional configuration or updates to the end user’s computer. The login application is 
not required and users may also run the full client application to connect to PlanetTogether. 

1. Users run PlanetTogether client on their own computers 

a. Each user’s computer should meet the minimum hardware requirements for 
PlanetTogether and the memory recommendation for workstations 
2. Users run PlanetTogether on the server machine 
a. In this setup, the Server hardware selection is recommended 
b. Each end user should be using a separate windows user 
3. Users run PlanetTogether in a virtual desktop environment. 
a. Virtual desktops are supported; however, users may not be able to use the client 
login application when connecting to PlanetTogether. The client login application 
stores information in user’s roaming appdata folders. 
b. As an alternative, users can run the full client application to log in. This full client 
does not require information stored in user profiles but will need to be installed 
and accessible for each user. 

Performance with many users 

User scheduling actions are processed synchronously. If one user’s action is being processed, 
other user’s actions will be queued and processed in sequence. PlanetTogether clients will 
remain responsive while performing scheduling actions. Users may continue to view and analyze 
data, run reports, and queue additional actions while other user’s actions are in process. 

If many users will be logging in to PlanetTogether simultaneously, the limiting factor for login 
speed will be network bandwidth. Each client will be retrieving required application data. If 
clients are taking too long to login due to low bandwidth, consider staggering user logins or 
leave clients connected continuously to avoid the login process. 

662 Encinitas Boulevard, Suite 280 T: 888.317.8807

Encinitas, CA 92024 planettogether.com

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Operating System Compatibility 
PlanetTogether server, clients, and associated programs run on the Microsoft .NET Framework 
(version 4.6.2). It is compatible with all Microsoft Windows operating systems that support this 
framework. A 64 bit operating system is recommended for better performance and future 
support. 

Network Requirements 

PlanetTogether uses TCP connections to communicate between clients, the server, data sources, 
and configuration programs. The TCP ports used by PlanetTogether is configurable for each of 
these connections. 

Installation 
 
Server software installation using our web installer requires access to apsportal.com. An offline 
installer is also available if internet access is unavailable. 

Licensing 
 
The server application requires an active internet connection and access to 
https://licenseserver.planettogether.net:45455​ and 
https://licenseserver2.planettogether.net:45455 
An active internet connection means continuous internet access while the instance is running. 
However, intermittent connection losses will not affect licensing. If the server has connection 
issues consult with a PlanetTogether engineer to determine any potential licensing problems. 

Data Sources 

The primary data import and export source for PlanetTogether is Microsoft SQL Server. Version 
2008 and later are supported. A SQL Server installation is most likely required. Integrations to or 
from other data sources can be achieved through PlanetTogether integrations that use SQL 
Server as a staging database. Data can also be imported directly from Excel files. For Excel 
import, a data adapter that matches the Excel version is required. 
 
PlanetTogether can also export to an xml formatted data file for custom export processes. 
 

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Integration services and methods vary, please consult with a PlanetTogether engineer to 
determine the ideal setup for your environment. 

Failover and Recovery 

To assist in the event of a server failure, a standby PlanetTogether instance can be prepared for 
fast recovery.  

Backing Up PlanetTogether 

1. PlanetTogether automatically provides transactional data backups. These files reside on 
the PlanetTogether server.  
2. Transactional files should be backed up to a secondary location to be used for recovery 
in case of a server failure. 

Recovering PlanetTogether 

1. A second PlanetTogether installation is required in case of a server failure. The second 

instance can be pre-installed with the same configuration as the primary instance. 
However, it cannot be active while the primary instance is active. 
2. For recovery, the latest transactional backup can be restored by taking the latest 
snapshot (scenario.dat file and/or transaction files) from backup and applying it to the 
secondary instance. The secondary instance can then be started. Once started, the 
instance will become active automatically if the primary instance is offline. 
3. Clients connect to the instance by server connection string. Either the connection string 
needs to be pointed to the new instance, or clients must use a new connection string to 
access the secondary instance. 

Load Balancing 
PlanetTogether does not support load balancing. Only a single server instance is running at once. 
PlanetTogether is a high performance, memory-resident program capable of optimizing large 
amounts of data due to its in-memory objects. To allow for this capability, scheduling operations 
cannot be distributed among multiple services and data is not stored in a shared database or 
store. In most situations, the high performance of PlanetTogether alleviates the need for load 
balancing to achieve fast performance. If your application has a high volume of scheduled 
operations (more than 25,000 for example) then testing the application in a Proof-of-Concept 
configuration is recommended. 

662 Encinitas Boulevard, Suite 280 T: 888.317.8807

Encinitas, CA 92024 planettogether.com

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Network Latency 
Most user actions are not affected by latency or slow connections. Under very poor connections, 
users may experience a slight delay between when attempting to perform an action and when 
the action begins. The following actions will be more heavily impacted by a slow connection: 

● Client login. Slow connections may result in long login times for end users. This action is 
the most heavily impacted. Depending on the connection limits, it may be prefered to stay 
logged-in to the system. 
● Data refresh. Depending on the amount and frequency of data being brought into the 
system, import actions may take longer for users on a slower connection. 
● Data export. This action is only affected by the server’s network performance. Slow 
connections will result in longer publish durations. 

Unstable connections where network connection may be completely disrupted has varying 
effects. The server must have, at a minimum, a few minute connection each day to the internet for 
licensing communication. Client’s whose connection is disrupted will not be able to perform 
actions. If the client’s connection is disrupted for a long duration (configurable but generally 1-3 
minutes) then it will be disconnected from the server and will need to log into the system again 
when the network connection is restored. 

662 Encinitas Boulevard, Suite 280 T: 888.317.8807

Encinitas, CA 92024 planettogether.com