[daip] Question about Linux boxes

[James Robnett]

   I don't know what I was thinking when I said it was a 4 proc system.
It's a 2 proc system with hyperthreading (techno babble of the month).

   'top' sees it as being 4 processors but it's really just 2 processors
with 2 'virtual' processors.

    They're still very nice.   They're essentially rack mounted Dell
PowerEdge 2650's .... if you decide you want raid be very careful with their
hardware raid line.   The PERC3/Di embedded raid chip is a complete 
abomination ...software raid is about 40 percent faster than it.   The other 
PERC3 raid cards are better but still aren't very good.   They're Adaptec
chips but even Adaptec doesn't lay claim to it.   The PERC4 series
is much better (LSI based) but I don't think they're available yet.

    We use these boxes for backend AIPS systems  .. access is
through ssh only.   If you want desktop console access then the Dell Precision
530 line is good.

    For certain tasks SCSI still beats IDE in total performance but
the price is higher.
    
James

On Wednesday 16 July 2003 02:02 pm, Eric Greisen wrote:
> We buy Dell computers and now have some lovely 2.8 GHz 4-head rack
> mounted ones.