Help Dual CPU's in file server

[Miller92]

I am currently running NT 4.0 on file server.
I am thinking of upgrading to dual processors. Is that a cheap and easy
way to upgrade processing power? what other impacts will dual cpu's
have? And if so do you think i should upgrade or change my network OS?
Would it be better to stay with microsoft (microsoft 2000) or Change to
Novell or Unix? And if so what versions?

 

[sparks]

It really depends on what you intend to do with the server. Are the applications that you run on this machine CPU intensive, file system intensive...?

 

[Miller92]

just used as a file server in a office setting.

 

[kazeakuma]

as sparks said it depends on what you intend to do. If it's just a file server than it's unlikely you will see much gain in performance, if any. File servers are more bound by disk performance and network performance. If you were running a DB or intending to run a mail server, it would probably be worth it but even then it would depend on the number of users.
How many people connect to this server and is it used for anything else besides file serving?

 

[Dug]

You have to give a description of your problem before anyone can give advice.
Like system specs, how many users, how much data is being accessed, your network topology.

File servers generally benefit from hard drive upgrades and memory upgrades, not cpu upgrades.
And if you need to ask what os to use I don't recommend looking for a new one.

 

[MulLa]

You are probably better off monitoring / logging your server for bottlenecks before going out and upgrading things when you don't really know what's holding you back.

 

[bozo1]

Like was said, you really need to find out where your bottleneck is. Get to know Performance Monitor.

Upgrading NT 4 to the multiprocessor kernel is NOT fun. (unless of course you plan to reinstall)

 

[Sir Fredrick]

A file server would probably see a much more significant increase in speed with a SCSI setup.