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4 Slow CPUs or 2 Fast CPUs

We are "upgrading" our server hardware and the proposed plan is to move from 4 900 mhz processors to 2 3.5 ghz processors. We have hit the max capacity of the existing CPUs. If I am going to push for 4 processors, I need a good argument. Obviously, 4 3.5 ghz processors would be nice but I doubt that I can make that happen. Should I be concerned by the decrease in the number of processors even though it looks like we will have more overall power?
probably not, it simpler to get a SQL app to run well on 2 fast procs than 4 slower procs,
what do you mean by 3.5GHz, there are no 3.5, only 3.4 & 3.6.
in any case i am inclined say that the 2×3.4GHz Xeon should be 50-60% faster than the 4×900 PIII, based on the TPC-C benchmark, more likely more for your app unless it was designed for excellent scaling, but why bother with the 2×3.4?
why not get either a 2 proc dual core 2.8GHz Xeon (for 4 x 2.8GHz cores) or the 2 proc dual core Opteron, either of these should give you more than 2X of your current system
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><br />why not get either a 2 proc dual core 2.8GHz Xeon (for 4 x 2.8GHz cores) or the 2 proc dual core Opteron, either of these should give you more than 2X of your current system<br /><hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"><br /><br />Genius. Pure Genius!!!<br /><br />[<img src=’/community/emoticons/emotion-1.gif’ alt=’:)‘ />]<br /><br />MeanOldDBA<br />[email protected]<br /><br />When life gives you a lemon, fire the DBA.
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