[K12OSN] dual core processor vs. dual processors

Robert Arkiletian robark at gmail.com
Tue Aug 16 18:00:33 UTC 2005


On 8/16/05, Petre Scheie <petre at maltzen.net> wrote:
> Has anyone compared the performance of a server running a single dual-core CPU vs. a
> dual CPU system?  I think the consensus for some time has been that for a system
> properly built to handle several clients, one should use a dual processor system.  But I
> wonder how a single dual-core system would compare.  I noticed Pogo Linux is selling a
> dual-core Pentium D workstation (that could be used for a terminal server) that costs
> $2200 when equipped with 4GB RAM and a pair of 36GB SCSI disks.  Granted, it doesn't
> have redundant power supplies and multiple Gbit network ports like their servers.  But
> if $ is the paramount factor, would dual-core CPUs be a good compromise?

Yes a single dual core cpu is an excellent compromise with a few
notes. Go Athlon64 X2 if at all possible.Here is my limited
understanding. The dual core pentiums, even though they are cheaper,
are inferior because if a process is transfered from one core to the
other it has to go throught the front side bus of the motherboard but
on an athlonX2 there is a hypertransport layer that connects the 2
cores, plus the memory controller is inside the cpu. Put simply AMD
built the dual core Opteron/Athlons with dual core intent from
inception. Intel added it later as an afterthought when Itanium
failed. AMD just introduced the lower cost Athlon X2 3800+.
Personally, I have no data to back this up but I think a single dual
core AMD is better than a real dual cpu intel system. BUT the factor
which throws everything out of wack is that the newest Pentium D
boards have SATA ncq support which is terrific on k12ltsp servers. AMD
MB manufacturers should catch up by xmas for ncq support.

Note: However, I believe kernel 2.6.12 is the first kernel to fully
support dual core. FC 4 uses 2.6.11 but may be patched to support it,
RHEL4 uses 2.6.9 but RH has backported dual core support. So the
newest k12ltsp should work. I would put my money on 4.2.1EL.

-- 
Robert Arkiletian
C++ GUI tutorial http://fltk.org/links.php?V19




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