Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 12:22:29 +0100 From: Paul Schenkeveld <fb-isp@psconsult.nl> To: Walter Hop <freebsd+20021209@walter.slik.org> Cc: FreeBSD ISP <freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: Loaded mysql box: best hardware? Message-ID: <20021210122229.A42380@psconsult.nl> In-Reply-To: <3487689390.20021209163011@slik.org>; from freebsd%2B20021209@walter.slik.org on Mon, Dec 09, 2002 at 04:30:11PM %2B0100 References: <3487689390.20021209163011@slik.org>
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On Mon, Dec 09, 2002 at 04:30:11PM +0100, Walter Hop wrote: > Hi all, > > I currently maintain a fairly loaded FreeBSD box (dual P3/866), running a > busy MySQL 3.23 database with its Apache/PHP web interface. It has SCSI > disks and enough RAM to keep the whole MySQL database paged in, and the > bottleneck is now really the CPU's. The scripts are fairly optimized (use > their own caching) so I am now looking at hardware. The machine itself is > keeping up nicely for now (loads from 1 to 4), but system usage will > probably double, so I have to make a plan now for the increased load next > year. > > My question is: given that I now have a dual 866MHz box, is there any > performance to be gained from upgrading to, for instance, a faster dual > system? What setup is generally preferred for loaded database boxes? > > Last month I read a doc that argues that MySQL is not able to profit from > an SMP setup using the FreeBSD 4.x userland threads - saved it here: > http://www.skydancer.nl/dl/etc/20021119.freebsd.mysql.problems.mht - > Considering this, would an expensive dual box still be worth the money, or > would it be more effective to switch to a single-CPU system with the > fastest clock instead? Even if MySQL doesn't benefit from a second CPU, the second CPU will pick up other processes (httpd for example) leaving more cycles to mysqld on its 'own' processor. Also, think about things you as a sysadmin do from the shell, with only one CPU, the commands you type will compete for that single CPU with mysqld so if you like to have reasonable interactive response you'll be happy to have dual CPUs. > I want to prepare for when the machine REALLY gets abused, and I'd like > input from people who have experience in this field, anything will help. :) > What choice did you make for your high-end database servers? > > (If absolutely necessary I would consider installing another OS on the > server if it would use the hardware more effectively, but seeing that > FreeBSD 5.x is at the horizon, I'd rather throw money at the problem than > spend the time on switching to L*n*x or S*l*r*s/x86...) My $0.02 -- Paul Schenkeveld, Consultant PSconsult ICT Services BV To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message
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