Is my server powerful enough to handle the expected increase in traffic?

Question

I am currently using a MacMini server with 2.66Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, and 4Gb. At the moment we have about 40 iPhones, 20 iPads, 20 iMacs, and about 30 PC's running fine when this server is running DCHP and DNS services.
In september we are increasing the work load by 230 iPads. Will this server be able to keep up, or should I look into getting a Mac Pro? I am assuming some extra RAM will help.
Any know if this MacMini can handle the extra traffic?
Thanks

Answer 1

DHCP is a couple of messages (packets) exchanged each way, with one flurry at half the lease time, and again as the lease time; negligible traffic and load, in other words.  And you have control over the DHCP lease times.
DNS, too, is low-effort, though that varies based on translation activity and DNS TTL.  Also likely with a negligible load.
A Mac Pro is vastly more power than you likely need here.
The central reason here to acquire a second server is the potential for outages.  Not the load.  Knock out DHCP or DNS on your network, and your whole show is offline.  And for that, a Mac Mini Server or Mac Mini with OS X Server loaded will do just fine as a secondary DNS server, or backup DHCP server.
The capacity of your network pipes might be (could be?) (will be?) an issue, as was mentioned; you're adding a sizeable chunk of network activity for on-site traffic with your WiFi networks and (presumably) across your wired (presumably gigabit) backhauls, and the bandwidth available with your Internet uplink.   DHCP and DNS aren't usually a whole lot of traffic, in aggregate.  But 250 iPads can easily clobber an underconfigured WiFi network.