SQL Server Performance Forum – Threads Archive

Cores or GHz

Hi, I’m responsible for order a new dedicated SQL-server and I need som advice in if we should go for Cores or GHz. I’ve understood that it’s hard to say which hardware is right without knowing more about the databases and how they are used, but I can’t really tell that since I don’t have that knowledge. But this is the information I got, 30-40 databases from 100 Mb to 4 GB in size, no transactions logging. So, the CPU’s we are thinking about are this: Intel Dual-Core Xeon 5160 3.0 GHz Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5335 2.0 Ghz that’s the only difference as e can se in the configurations of the servers, HP DL380 G5. Which one would be best in general speaking for MS SQL 2005?

I would suggest to go with "Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5335 2.0 Ghz"
Satya SKJ
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Writer, Contributing Editor & Moderator
http://www.SQL-Server-Performance.Com
This posting is provided AS IS with no rights for the sake of knowledge sharing. Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves or we know where we can find information on it.

i suggest you cough up for the X5355 2.66GHz
especially considering the very large price drop coming up in July,
in which case, you don’t really need to cough up
just wait 1 month,

Thanks for the quick answers, so more Core it is. I looked on an old dokument when I wrote my question, it was Intel Xeon Quad-Core E5335 2.33 Ghz we looked at. I’ve haven’t found DL380 with Quad-Core 2.66 GHz here in Sweden, and we need to buy this now in June.

i make my recommendations based on US pricing,
where the $1K delta between 2×5160 DC 3.0GHz and the 2 x5355 QC 2.66GHz really does not matter in the big scheme so you need to adjust for significant differences due to import duties & VAT etc
in the mid 1990’s when RISC workstations were very expensive
I would smuggle one in to Europe, claiming it was my product demo machine
then mysteriously, I would neglect to bring it back when i returned
i hope the statute of limitations has expired I have the E5335 as QC 2.0GHz,
the E5345 as QC 2.33GHz i said in earlier posts that there is no guarantee without proper investigation that your application as is will benefit from QC 2.00GHz vs DC 2.66GHz
a perfectly designed db should have approx 30% perf gain based on: 2.0->2.66 = 33% freq -> 0.7×33 = 23% perf gain
2xDC -> 2xQC = 1.6X gain
hence
2xQC 2.0GHz is 1.6 relative to 2xDC 2.0GHz,
2xDC 2.66GHz = 1.23 relative to 2xDC 2.0 but, since multi-core is the future direction
you need to make your app run well on multi-core
so you may as well start now
even if does not in its current state

Thanks Joe,
I know that there are no guarentees, but recommendations from people that are much better on SQL than me are always good to have. Since it will be a dedicated SQL Server with SQL 2005 64-bit I hope it will benefit from more cores. I have no control over the db’s, I hope the developers make a good job with them.

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