DB server question?

[bricktop]

Looking for feedback on what would be the better server:

1) 4-2 Ghz Xeon MP processors.

or

2) 8-900 Mhz Xeon P III.

These will be running SQL 2000 only.

Looking for performance, speed, amount of connections, CPU usage and amount of queries that can be run.

Any feedback appreciated.

 

[johnny99]

We are talking big servers here and I wouldn't say that I am 100 % correct on this.

But both options will req. a lot of horsepower on the I/O side before CPU will be a problem, and solving that side of the problem is a little more difficult then getting 4 or 8 CPU's "up and running"

If you are only using SQL 2000 std. edition both options I think would be "over kill" in more the 99% of all applications I can think about.

Personaly I would look into your option 1 first, especialy if you SQL licens is CPU based.

 

[alexrybalov]

We are using SQL 2000 Enterprise Edition in the cluster (two servers plus shared storage). This question (about 4 or 8 CPU’s server) came when we realize that servers we are using now (Xeon 4x550Mhz) are in use for 100% CPU time nearly all the time. All Query are optimized by maximum (main activity is coming from web site visitors).

I'm working with bricktop in the same department.

 

[johnny99]

Do you know why your SQL is using so much CPU?

Just to make sure that it's not because all access to tables is done bu table-space-scan (name from DB2 sorry)

If you have poor indexes to your data your could end up with using all CPU and get very long response times.

When you get 100% CPU, is this done by a few users or a lot of users?

How big is your database? And what type of application?

I would first try to use the 4 way 2,0 Ghz 2MB cache version.
If what you realy need is raw CPU power You should get more in the 4 x 2,0 Ghz box then in the 8 x 900 Mhz box.
But it realy depends on that your problem is pure CPU.

From a cost point the 4 x 2,0 Ghz box should cost less then the 8 x 900Mhz box, especialy if you use a processor based licens and not a CAL based licens.

And I also tend to wounder why you have been living for so long with the 4 x 550 Mhz box when you load is so high.

But one importend thing not to forget: How does your users see the responsetimes? If they think it's OK (or almost OK) go for the cheap box.
I expect this is not a "mission critical box"

If you need more performance then the 8 x 900 Mhz box you have to look into a Unisys ES7000 system.

One last thing, what operating system are you using?

 

[alexrybalov]

I have to ask our programmers about indexing and way of access to tables. I'm looking on this from SysAdmin side.

100% CPU usage on DB server is done by a lot of users. 99% of the access to databases is coming from two web servers (IIS 5.0) (load balancing web pages).
There is 6 separate databases all it total about 1 Gig on the hard drive.

From the moment we install this cluster (2 servers 4x550 - about a year ago) amount of traffic at least tripled at peak time, plus size of DB at least doubled. We was not expecting this problem with 100% CPU usage on DB servers at that time…

At the peak time respond time from DB server is very big. And this is mission critical box!

Unisys ES7000... Hmm... Looks sexy! 32CPU... Cool!

We are using Win2K Adv. Serv.

 

[johnny99]

How much RAM do you have in the server?

OK, so you have a a CPU based licens for 4 CPU's

I would go for the 4 x 2,0 Ghz 2 MB box if it has to be a Dell

Did I understand it right that the database is only 1GB?

What I have seen is that programmmers often tend to focus on functionality not performance and operation. (if a given setup works fine in test it's also fine for production)

 

[alexrybalov]

I have 4Gb of RAM in the server, and I have 25CAL license. All internet users coming to DB throw IIS are using only one CAL. In my case they are using two CAL, because they are coming throw two load balancing servers.

 

[johnny99]

OK, I would go for the 4 x 2,0 Ghz 2 MB cache server.

But I don't think you are right about your licens for SQL server.

If you can name all users on the server you need one CAL per client machine (a web-server is not a client machine). If you can't name all your users (eg. for an internet server) you need to pay your licens based on the number of CPU's.

A 4 processor SQL 2000 Enterprise Edition cost a lot (around USD 15.000 to 30.000 per CPU depending on your licens agreement with Microsoft if I remember right)
So a 8 CPU licens would cost you at least USD 120.000.

My pricelist from Microsoft is based on our select 5 (cat d) agreement and a 1 CPU standard edition cost around DKK 20.000 and a Enterprise edition around DKK 125.000

You should contact Microsoft and let them help you to get the right licenses in place.

 

[johnny99]

Oops, it's only USD 20.000 per CPU (before any discounts)

But if you server is accessed from the internet you will have to buy a 4 processor licens.

Found a little more info at:

http://www.microsoft.com/catalog/display.asp?site=10145&subid=22&pg=4

 

[NickFerrar]

2MB cache Xeon CPU's cost a fortune, if money is not an issue then yeah I'd go for 4 x 2GHz 2MB Xeons over 8 x 900MHz P3's but the cost difference would be huge.

 

[johnny99]

The 900 Mhz 2MB CPU's also cost a fortune.
I would expect 4 x 2,0 Ghz 2 MB to cost less then 8 x 900 Mhz 2 MB

 

[funcrecall12]

Maybe you have to check the DB, perfomance tuning config.
and the codes of your programmer.

Jeri