Server platform comparison

Brian Russo brusso at phys.hawaii.edu
Wed Oct 10 03:55:20 PDT 2001


On Tue, Oct 09, 2001 at 11:51:34PM -1000, Warren Togami wrote:
> >
> > As to Postgres/MySQL- Transactions are probably not too important.  As I
> > understand it, transactions are mainly for input.  Input would be done by
> > student hires or admin staff, and not that many workers at any one time.
> > I'm pretty sure that credit card handling for conferences, as an example,
> > would not be done.  At least not in the next 18 months, at which time the
> > dbs will have evolved one hopes.  So most clients will be retrieving data
> > only (e.g. prospective students).
> 
> MySQL is far faster with data retrieval, especially dealing with web sites.
> The current MySQL suffers mainly when you insert.

Opposite, MySQL is faster at insertions/deletes, since it doesnt use
transactions usually.

> > matter of brand comfort, an understandable and human impulse.
> 
> There may be a security maintenance drawback in using Mac OS X in that
> people are far less familiar and proactive with security maintenance.  Far
> more people use x86 Linux, so security problems are known, publicized and
> corrected much quicker.  

And exploited much faster also, what does that tell us?
The patchwork citadel model does not work.
Any decent OS can be secure with a good admin, and a well-understood
environment.

> If they INSIST on using Apple hardware for the
> server, a low-end G3 or G4 tower running PowerPC Linux (probably Mandrake)
> would gain the best of both worlds - though at considerably lower
> performance for much higher cost.

Hardware cost is negligible.

> 
> >
> > I'm still looking for TCO data for all platforms, I'll post when found or
> > collated.  I am convinced of a linux system- probably $2K could bring in
> > real heavyweight stuff without even busting software costs on a Win2K
> > platform.  But I owe at least an attempt at impartiality.
> >
> 
> $2,000 would get you...
> 2x Athlon XP 1800+
> Tyan Thunder dual Athlon motherboard
> 1GB ECC DDR SDRAM

Following you here.

> SCSI RAID 0 + 1 (four disks)
> Massive tape backup device
Huh? Where are you going to find a decent tape driver for under
1500-2000?, and 4 scsi disks? that's going to cost more than what
you think.. unless you're ebaying heh.

> With PLENTY of cash left over.  This setup would outperform the fastest dual
> Xeon, at roughly half the price.  However, you don't need anything near this

Depends what you're doing, if you're processing large chunks, the
cache on the xeons will become noticeable *very quickly*

Don't think that's applicable here though.

-- 
Unix Staff, High Energy Physics Group   <brusso at phys.hawaii.edu>
Debian/GNU Linux! http://www.debian.org <wolfie at debian.org>



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