I beleive this symmetrical situation below is correct, but something to keep in mind is that your file server has a lot of other things going on besides R:base like Network printer, server consols, accounting application, word processing, server communications..... If Novell gives R:base a processor to itself, then it runs all the other stuff on the other one. I deffinatly get better performance on my multi processor machine than on my single processor one. I have to confess, my multiprocessor machine also has an expensive array disk controller and more memory than the single processor machine. The processors on the multi processor machine are a little slower than the single processor (450mhz and 500mhz). When I did my time tests reloading the database, I did it when there was very little activity on the servers or network. Actually I pulled the log files from the late night reloads. I suppose the real test would be to pull one of the processors out of the box and time the reload, but I don't have the time to do something like that.
One more thing about my time tests: When I ran the time test from a 500mhz workstation, I did not see much difference between the reload times on the 2 servers, but when I got a 1.7ghz workstation and ran the tests again, one the single processor server, it ran about the same. On the dual processor server, the reload ran 3 times faster. Regarding the 100% utilization comment below, I pulled out one of my Novell books and it says: "NW 5 periodically monitors each of the processor's run queues to make sure that none of the processors become overloaded. The load balance threshold that is set in the system parameters is used to determine how much the run queus can handle before becomming overloaded. The scheduler in the Kernal calculates the system-wide load and the mean load of each processors run queue against the predetermined threshold. If any one processors run queue is determined to be overloaded, any new threads targeted for that processor are moved to another processor for executaion..... To take advantabe of multiple processors in a server, the server application must be written to be multithreaded (as stated below). For example, the NetWare 5 core components or processesthat are enable for multiporcessors are NWPA, Media Manager, LSL, memory, Open Date-link Interface(odi), C-library (clib), RSA encryption, routing functions, and the direct file system." Well R:base is not a service running on the server. As far as the server is concerned, it is a bunch of users accessing memory and the file system. The file system does take advantage of multi processors. Troy Sosamon ===== Original Message from [EMAIL PROTECTED] at 1/31/02 9:31 am >Bill, > >I'll saw this post and decided to add my two cents which may or may not help. > >There are two type of mulitprocessing. One is symmetrical and the other is >asymmetrical. Symmetrical is multiple processors working on the same code or problem together to complete the process in less time. Asymmetrical is multiple porcessors >each working on either designated processes individually or multiple processes >individually. In some OS's you can designated what each processor does and what application it services. Each processor dedicated to a specific process usually user >defined. > >In a symmetrical situation you gain absolutly nothing unless the appllication you're >using lends itself to symmetrical processing. So multiple proccesors may give you no gain at all unless your application can make use of them. I think Novell >only does Symmetrical processing, therefore your application would have to be >multiple processor aware in order for you to really gain anything. > > > >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 01/31/02 10:16AM >>> >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >On >Behalf Of Troy Sosamon >> >>... >> 9. Servers should be as fast as you can afford, preferrable w/ dual >>processors and mirrored or stripped hard drives. >>... > >I have a question in regards to this one. I have a Novell NetWare 5.0 >with dual PIII 500 processors. I have been told that the only way the >second processor will kick in is when the first processor to at 100% for >a while. Is that true? If not, how do you get the second processor to >work? >Bill > > > >================================================ >TO SEE MESSAGE POSTING GUIDELINES: >Send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >In the message body, put just two words: INTRO rbase-l >================================================ >TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >In the message body, put just two words: UNSUBSCRIBE rbase-l >================================================ >TO SEARCH ARCHIVES: >http://www.mail-archive.com/rbase-l%40sonetmail.com/ > >================================================ >TO SEE MESSAGE POSTING GUIDELINES: >Send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >In the message body, put just two words: INTRO rbase-l >================================================ >TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >In the message body, put just two words: UNSUBSCRIBE rbase-l >================================================ >TO SEARCH ARCHIVES: >http://www.mail-archive.com/rbase-l%40sonetmail.com/ ================================================ TO SEE MESSAGE POSTING GUIDELINES: Send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message body, put just two words: INTRO rbase-l ================================================ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message body, put just two words: UNSUBSCRIBE rbase-l ================================================ TO SEARCH ARCHIVES: http://www.mail-archive.com/rbase-l%40sonetmail.com/
