Dell SQL Server Advisor Tool

apparently the Dell web site now dispenses advice on how to configure a server system (from Dell) for SQL Server

try starting from:
www.dell.com/sql

then look for a SQL Server Advisor tool
or some thing like it

it asks some questions, then proposes a complete solution
including the hardware configuration

my 2 cents and then some
now it is not that i want to or enjoy critizing/ridiculing some one elses work
(disclaimer: there are those that might disagree with above statement, but they misunderstand my intent)

but, based on a quick look and a few input option
the recommended configuration is totally ridiculous

stick with my advice in the post below
http://www.sql-server-performance.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15002

whoever came up with the hw proposal cannot have any meaning hw performance credentials,

This is interesting. Based on my experimentation with this tool, I think it would be best to call this a sales tool for Dell designed by them to sell you the most hardware and services you can afford. It would be nice to see a more realistic tool, as such a tool would prove useful.

--------------------------------
Brad M. McGehee, SQL Server MVP
http://www.sqlbrad.com

actually my complaint was that it undersold on disk performance
i have other complaints but this is the key

basically they are recommending storage on capacity only
which is the stupidest approach to HW configuration there is
this is probably a major reason so many of their customer have serious performance problems on following their advice

My view is there are 3 meaningful Dell configurations for decent SQL performance, cost driven

1. PowerEdge 2900 with 10 internal 15K 73GB disks - $5-9K depending reasonable CPU & memory options
2. PowerEdge 2900, 2 Quad Core procs, 8-16GB, internal disk
a. + 2 ext MD1000 $20K
b. + 4 ext MD1000 $31K
3. PowerEdge 68xx/69xx, 4 Dual Core procs etc (either Intel or AMD procs)
a. + 4 ext MD1000 $39K
b. + 8 ext MD1000 $61K

based on the current discount offered on the MD1000 w/ 15Kx73G at approx $5,500

the 2 socket Quad Core today will almost as much compute power as the 4 socket Dual Core, (probably withing 10-15%)
so there is no real reason to get the current 4 scoket
except for the higher 64GB max mem config (also cheaper to reach 32GB with 2GB DIMM)
or for the 7 PCI-E slots on the 6950 Opteron system

Option 1 provides basic disk IO performance
Option 2 provides medium to high disk perf
Option 3 provides serious disk perf

it turns out HP also has some equally silly hardware recommendations

the seriously disgusting thing about this is the both Dell and HP (especially HP) have serious performance experts who know full well where hardware bottlenecks are
and generally how to alleviate the key bottlenecks

yet do the marketing people bother to go to their own experts?