In article <1156965314.263568.257990@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
"Joe D." <newbie_from_newbie@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hello all; I have a question regarding replacing older Sun servers,
> particularly regarding CPU horsepower.
>
> Here's a for instance: We have a couple of 420R servers, with 4 GB Ram
> and 4 X 450MHz CPUs. In spec-ing replacements, I'm looking at V440
> servers. Since RAM is (relatively) cheap, I'm gonna spec the same
> amount of RAM, but CPUs are a different story. I can simply spec them
> with 4 CPUs, but on this model, the CPUs range from 1 GHz to 1.5 GHz.
> Plus, the price jump from 2 to 4 CPUs is about 10 grand (list, of
> course).
>
> Can I simply say "well, 4 X 450 GHz is 1800 GHz, so I'll spec them with
> 2 X 1.5 GHz CPUs for a total of 3 GHz of CPU power, and we'll be set
> for the current load, and have room for growth before we have to add
> processors"?
>
> I know, I know, I should have some stats gathered to gauge how well our
> 4 CPUs are doing for us now, but this was sprung on me last minute, and
> I need to get rough numbers to management ASAP.
>
> Any assistance, rules of thumb, or other advice gratefully
> acknowledged, as always.
>
> Joe D.

Well, you could do "first blush" estimates giving as much time to it as
the PHB who asked for it did. If you know what the budget is, get as
much hardware as you can.

Or quote the full memory and all 4 1.5GHz CPUs.
In another, price full memory and 4 1GHz CPUs.
In another, price full memory and 4 1.5GHz CPUs.

Bet they go for the cheapest. If you think that will be the case, don't
quote anything less than 4 CPUs until you know your workload doesn't
need all of them. So what if they're faster. IMO, workloads don't
scale the way you're thinking. Unless you have reviewed your sar and
mpstat statistics and know that you're underutilizing the 4 CPUs, you'll
probably miss them if you don't have them. You know your workload best.

Work the system to get as much machine as you can. Maybe this is just a
chinese firedrill and the PTB (powers that be) look at how much and tell
you "Never mind".

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