[geeks] Sun Fire V120 Server -vs- Apple Xserve

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 00:38:38 (-0400), Joshua D Boyd wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: [geeks] Sun Fire V120 Server -vs- Apple Xserve
>
> Yes, but the needed balance between CPU and IO is different, and the
> Xserver has a different ratio of the two than is ideal for many
> (most?) serving tasks.

Sort of -- but it's less ideal on the side that doesn't matter.

Since designing only one dual-CPU box right costs less than designing
multiple separate boxes to meet specific needs (remember this is Apple's
first product for their re-entry to the server market and they seem to
want to get their feet wet before the jump in, if they ever jump all the
way in).  Also since the CPUs are the same as those used in their
high-end desktops, they're cheap enough to just throw at the problem.

However remember we're talking about a machine with quite substantial
I/O throughput capabilities (2 x GigE, AGP, 64-bit PCI, 4 times ATA/100,
FireWire, DDR SDRAM), you do need a fairly fast CPU or two to keep up,
even if they are not amazing work-horses for raw integer or floating
point calculations.

-- 
								Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098;  <gwoods at acm.org>;  <g.a.woods at ieee.org>;  <woods at robohack.ca>
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