are there dual core dual cpu opteron's

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
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I need to build a relatively inexpensive server for an MS SQL database..

I was wondering how dual core's handle database processing, and if there was a dual core + dual cpu opteron solution....

or if you have a better idea... tell me.
 

Furen

Golden Member
Oct 21, 2004
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If you want inexpensive then your best bet is a single dual-core CPU like the socket 939 Opterons. Going quad-core (dual dual-core) will cost you at least $2500 or so, which is not inexpensive unless you mean inexpensive compared to a quad-cpu server.
 

Viditor

Diamond Member
Oct 25, 1999
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If you want one with good support and already built, I'd suggest the HP DL385.
Of course that's ~$3000 with just one DC CPU, and another $800 for the second (as Furen said, not cheap). What industry/purpose/environment are you doing this for?
 

Furen

Golden Member
Oct 21, 2004
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If you want to buy a dual dual-core system but don't want to build it yourself then I'd recommend going to someone like Monarch Computer (basically a smaller OEM, I just recommended Monarch off the top of my head). OEMs like HP, IBM and Sun mark up their dual-core systems quite a lot, since these cannibalize their sales for quad-socket systems, which are much more lucrative. If you do plan on going with one of these bigger OEMs I'd recommend going Sun (but I'm kind of a Sun fanboy, and a sucker for Solaris).
 

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
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91
I'm lookin for a dual cpu setup with about 4GB of ram, dual sata in a raid1, dual ps, etc..

all for under $2500. I get a 40% transferrable tax credit as well... so if I spend $10K, the state mails me a tax credit for $4000, of which I can sell to a broker for about $3700, cash. I can spend up to $150K and still get 40% back. software is included..... yay!

the rig needs to be able to hand about 25 queries per second @ peak. about 1 million queries per day. each server will have about 2 database files, each having about 10 tables, and each table having about 1million records with about 15 columns of mixed data......

running MS SQL....

I was hoping dual cpu w/ dual core could handle it. I'd like to refrain from stepping up to the price point of quad cpu hardware.... especially since i think i will be working on a per cpu license.
 

GuitarDaddy

Lifer
Nov 9, 2004
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Dual core CPU's are two physical CPU's, so two dual cores is a quad CPU system and will require four licenses if licensed by CPU I believe. You should be able to build such a system for $4000 or less, and with your tax credit you can probably hit your $2500 budget. The Tyan mobo in ribbons rig is what I would suggest.

I would also suggest going for the cheapest dual core opteron(265) CPU's and upgrading your hard drives to a raid5 SCSII array. With 1mm queries a day harddrive I/O is going to be more important than CPU speed.
 

Viditor

Diamond Member
Oct 25, 1999
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Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
I'm lookin for a dual cpu setup with about 4GB of ram, dual sata in a raid1, dual ps, etc..

all for under $2500. I get a 40% transferrable tax credit as well... so if I spend $10K, the state mails me a tax credit for $4000, of which I can sell to a broker for about $3700, cash. I can spend up to $150K and still get 40% back. software is included..... yay!

the rig needs to be able to hand about 25 queries per second @ peak. about 1 million queries per day. each server will have about 2 database files, each having about 10 tables, and each table having about 1million records with about 15 columns of mixed data......

running MS SQL....

I was hoping dual cpu w/ dual core could handle it. I'd like to refrain from stepping up to the price point of quad cpu hardware.... especially since i think i will be working on a per cpu license.

Monarch
2 x Opteron 270 (dual core 2.0 GHz)
4GB PC3200 ECC
2 x Samsung Sata3G 160GB HDD
Raid 1 configured
CDRW
FDD
GeForce 5200
1 year parts & labour
$3084.89
 

Viditor

Diamond Member
Oct 25, 1999
3,290
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Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
Dual core CPU's are two physical CPU's, so two dual cores is a quad CPU system and will require four licenses if licensed by CPU I believe. You should be able to build such a system for $4000 or less, and with your tax credit you can probably hit your $2500 budget. The Tyan mobo in ribbons rig is what I would suggest.

I would also suggest going for the cheapest dual core opteron(265) CPU's and upgrading your hard drives to a raid5 SCSII array. With 1mm queries a day harddrive I/O is going to be more important than CPU speed.

Microsoft and all major software companies charge per socket, not per core...that's one of the major cost advantages of going multicore on servers.

Edit: Though I think you're quite right about going Raid 5...the extra cost is only about $135...
 

GuitarDaddy

Lifer
Nov 9, 2004
11,465
1
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Originally posted by: Viditor
Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
Dual core CPU's are two physical CPU's, so two dual cores is a quad CPU system and will require four licenses if licensed by CPU I believe. You should be able to build such a system for $4000 or less, and with your tax credit you can probably hit your $2500 budget. The Tyan mobo in ribbons rig is what I would suggest.

I would also suggest going for the cheapest dual core opteron(265) CPU's and upgrading your hard drives to a raid5 SCSII array. With 1mm queries a day harddrive I/O is going to be more important than CPU speed.

Microsoft and all major software companies charge per socket, not per core...that's one of the major cost advantages of going multicore on servers.

Edit: Though I think you're quite right about going Raid 5...the extra cost is only about $135...

Cool! Didn't know that

 

ribbon13

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2005
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I would not use Samsung drives for heavy I/O use, especially if they weren't in RAID5.

Monarch does carry the best drive for the job however, The Western Digital WD4000YR is the sweetest drive I think they have every produced. Review (Be sure to look at page 5)

3 of them in RAID5 would provide 800GB of space and plenty of I/O. If you don't need that much space, get three Western Digital WD740GDs instead, because what your doing is exactly what Raptors were designed for.
 

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
Originally posted by: ribbon13
I would not use Samsung drives for heavy I/O use, especially if they weren't in RAID5.

Monarch does carry the best drive for the job however, The Western Digital WD4000YR is the sweetest drive I think they have every produced. Review (Be sure to look at page 5)

3 of them in RAID5 would provide 800GB of space and plenty of I/O. If you don't need that much space, get three Western Digital WD740GDs instead, because what your doing is exactly what Raptors were designed for.

cool.... i think i probably will add a 3rd drive because it adds speed and keeps some kind of fault tolerance... i dont know if i will do scsi though... the sate drives with 16MB buffers look nice.... how much slower are they "truthfully" than scsi?

i could go scsi though, because i could pick up a 70GB raptor for about the same price as a much denser sata drive.. but then I can't take advantage of onboard sata raid....... im trying to keep it cheap... which is why i was thinking sata in raid 1 because many boards have that built in.... otherwise i have to get more expensive scsi drives and a host controller.....

either way... im definately going to be building this myself.... if I can save $500, i will definatley do it... id like to pay less than $2500 cash for everything, then get my tax credit...
 

GuitarDaddy

Lifer
Nov 9, 2004
11,465
1
0
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
either way... im definately going to be building this myself.... if I can save $500, i will definatley do it... id like to pay less than $2500 cash for everything, then get my tax credit...


Don't think you will be able to keep it under $2500 before the tax credit

Just the TYAN motherboard and 2 opteron 265 (the cheapest multi socket dual core) will run around $2000, that only leaves $500 for 4gb ECC ram, harddrives, PS, case, OS, etc.... not gonna happen. If you truly want to keep it under $2500 you need to be looking at a single d/c opteron or an X2 system
 

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
either way... im definately going to be building this myself.... if I can save $500, i will definatley do it... id like to pay less than $2500 cash for everything, then get my tax credit...


Don't think you will be able to keep it under $2500 before the tax credit

Just the TYAN motherboard and 2 opteron 265 (the cheapest multi socket dual core) will run around $2000, that only leaves $500 for 4gb ECC ram, harddrives, PS, case, OS, etc.... not gonna happen

well, im going to try... purchase won't be for another 90 days... so maybe i can gain 10% on the price...

 

puffpio

Golden Member
Dec 21, 1999
1,664
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reviving this thread

are there any dual cpu, dual core mobo's that are good w/ overclocking?
maybe 2 opteron 265's overclocked to 2.6-2.8ghz on air in a 1U chassis?
 

Aries64

Golden Member
Jul 30, 2004
1,030
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Originally posted by: ribbon13
My signature workstation is Dual Opteron 280s on a Tyan K8WE
ribbon13 that is one wicked machine - Ultra 320 Cheetah 15K.4s' and Dual Opteron 280 + 4GBs' of RAM! Sweet...