SupportPal Hardware Requirements: RAM, CPU, Storage & Ticket Concurrency
Plan SupportPal hardware for PHP, MySQL, CPU, RAM, ticket concurrency, attachments, and practical ZimaOS Docker deployment.
SupportPal hardware requirements at a glance
Size SupportPal from verified upstream requirements first, then add headroom for the workload and persistent data.
- RAM
- Web server: 2 GB recommended minimum; database server: 4 GB recommended minimum
- CPU
- Recommended minimum: 4 vCPU on all servers
- Storage
- Fresh install about 100 MB; database and storage/ grow over time
- PHP
- PHP 8.3.1โ8.5.x; PHP memory_limit minimum 128 MB, 256 MB recommended
- Database
- MySQL-compatible requirement
- Best Zima starting point
- ZimaBoard 2 832 for a small single-server helpdesk
From official requirements to the right setup
Start with SupportPal's published CPU, web-memory, database-memory, PHP, and storage guidance; then adjust for active operators, ticket/reply frequency, attachments, queues, and database size.
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Official requirements
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Confirm your needs
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Leave room to grow
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Run it on ZimaOS
Check every playback client
- Active staff
- Concurrent staff
- Ticket/reply rate
- Database size
- Attachment volume
- Queue/Redis use
- Email processing
- Backup retention
Official minimum requirements
SupportPal provides numerical hardware guidance and separate PHP memory guidance. Keep those layers distinct.
The 128 MB/256 MB PHP figures are PHP addressable memory settings, not whole-server RAM. Whole-server planning must also include MySQL, queues, the web stack, and the OS.
| Requirement | Official minimum | What this supports |
|---|---|---|
| 4 vCPU on all servers | Workload can require more. | |
| 2 GB RAM | Guidance says this allows up to 50 concurrent staff. | |
| 4 GB RAM | Separate DB server recommended for large active deployments. | |
| At least 2 GB | Low swappiness is suggested. | |
| 128 MB minimum; 256 MB recommended | Not a whole-host RAM requirement. | |
| Approximately 100 MB | Database and storage/ grow with real use. | |
| Recommended for all deployments, especially database servers | Improves SQL responsiveness. |
When to upgrade your hardware
Operator concurrency
Database pressure
Attachment growth
Plan hardware growth with confidence
SSD database storage
SupportPal explicitly recommends SSDs, especially for database servers.
SSD/NVMeMemory headroom
Add RAM as MySQL cache, PHP workers, queues, and concurrent staff increase.
More RAMAttachment capacity
Plan larger persistent storage for attachments, caches, logs, and backups.
Larger SSD/HDD poolCPU for concurrency
Move to a higher-throughput CPU when mail, queues, reports, and concurrent operators increase.
Higher-core CPUCan it run on ZimaOS?
Custom install SupportPal in ZimaOS
No specific public official ZimaOS one-click page was verified. SupportPal provides an official Docker deployment path that can be adapted through Custom Install.
Custom install SupportPal in the ZimaOS app โUse SupportPal's official Docker deployment
SupportPal documents a monolithic Docker image with Docker Engine and Docker Compose prerequisites.
Open SupportPal Docker documentation โKeep the official hardware guidance
Use SupportPal's current system-requirements page for CPU, RAM, PHP, storage, and supported-platform facts.
Open SupportPal system requirements โZima hardware for SupportPal
SupportPal has unusually clear upstream sizing guidance, so start from those figures and then add headroom for operators, MySQL, queues, attachments, and email processing.
Choose by workload
A 4-core, 8 GB system gives practical room above the separate web/database memory guidance.
CPU throughput, SSD I/O, and database memory become the main reasons to scale.
The Zima mapping does not replace SupportPal licensing or support terms and should not turn PHP memory_limit into a host-RAM claim.
| Zima hardware | Best for | Example workload | Core configuration | Recommended boundary | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZimaBoard 2 832 | Light self-hosted services and small persistent workloads | Single-app or small multi-app home-server deployments |
|
8 GB RAM and N150 CPU limit heavy databases, large observability stacks, and compute-heavy jobs | Get Now |
| ZimaBoard 2 1664 | Apps that benefit from more memory while retaining a low-power 4-core CPU | Larger database cache, more containers, and moderate background services |
|
The CPU is still the same 4-core N150; 16 GB RAM does not raise compute throughput | Get Now |
| ZimaCube 2 Pro | CPU-heavy, higher-concurrency, database-heavy, and consolidated workloads | More background workers, indexing, reports, or concurrent users |
|
16 GB RAM can still be the limiting factor for software that needs substantially more memory | Get Now |
What the Press Says
Highlights from trusted reviewers worldwide.
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โThe ZimaBoard 2 is a compact x86 server board that can be turned into a mini NAS, home server, media box, or self-hosting hub.โRead full review
โZimaCube 2: A modern, high-performance NAS with plenty of room to growโbuilt for users who want more than basic storage.โRead full review
โCoverage focused on ZimaCube 2's open hardware foundation, no monthly fee, and self-hosting flexibility.โRead full review
Loved by the Community
Stories and reviews from people who build with Zima every day.
Zima Blade Little yet Powerful
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I use ZimaCube Pro as 5th Proxmox cluster node. It runs several VMs and containers, including a VM with GPU passthrough to run a self-hosted LLM. A specific LXC container runs a Samba server for NAS capabilities using four of six RAID 6 SATA HDDs with ZFS.
Great innovation for mini server!
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Frequently asked questions
How much RAM does SupportPal need?
SupportPal recommends at least 2 GB RAM for the web server and 4 GB RAM for the database server; a combined deployment must account for all services together.
How many CPU cores does SupportPal need?
The current system-requirements page recommends a minimum of 4 vCPU on all servers.
What PHP memory_limit does SupportPal require?
The software requirement is at least 128 MB addressable PHP memory, with at least 256 MB recommended.
How much storage does a fresh SupportPal install use?
SupportPal says a fresh installation uses about 100 MB, while the database and storage/ directory grow with tickets, attachments, caches, and logs.
Should SupportPal use SSD storage?
Yes. Official guidance recommends SSDs for all deployments, especially database servers.
Can ZimaBoard 2 832 run SupportPal?
It is a practical small single-server starting point because its 4-core N150 and 8 GB RAM give room above SupportPal's separate web/database memory guidance, provided persistent data is placed on suitable SSD storage.
When should the database be separated?
SupportPal recommends separate web and database servers for many active users or a large database with several hundred thousand records.
When should I choose ZimaCube 2 Pro?
Use it when CPU-heavy concurrency, larger SQL workload, attachments, and broader server consolidation need more throughput and storage options.
