Question

Choosing servers

Asked by: Gns

I'm about to replace my current Data General machines (DG/EMC Aviion 25K numa and 3700R running R4.20MU06, with EMC FC4500 Clariions) with "something else"´, from one of HP, Sun, IBM or Bull.
The systems will be used for Oracle. In fact, Oracle is the reason I need buy something new... They waited the obligatory 2 nano-seconds after EMC "ditched" the server division before announcing 8.1.7 as terminal release for DG/UX, and come new years eve the main oracle-dependant application will only support 9i (will not even start with 8i...sigh).

We got kind of a tight schedule deciding and implementing new servers, and have way too little relevant (as objective as possible) information to base our choice on... So this is where you all come in:-).
Normally I'd spend an inordinate amount of time reading up on the different architectures strong/weak points, but I simply feel I lack the time.

I'll try summarize the suggested systems (we'll get a couple, possibly clustered, possibly not:-):

HP: rp5470 with 2x875MHz PA-8700+ running HP-UX 11i, 4GiB RAM, 2x2G FC HBA, Storage: internal 2x36 GB 15K rpm + EVA3000 with 16x72GB 15K rpm.SAN-switches/fabric...

Sun: Fire V880 with 4x1050MHz UsparcIII running Solaris9(?),8GiB RAM, 2x2G FC HBA, Storage: internal 6x73GB 10K rpm + StorEdge 3510 (only one controller with 1GiB cache) with 8x73 GB 10K rpm. No SAN-switches.

IBM: pSeries 630 with 2x1.45GHz Power4+ running AIX 5L, 4GiB RAM, 4x2G FC HBA, Storage: internal 2x18.2GB 10K rpm + FAStT600 with 8x18.2 GB 15K rpm and (separate cabinett) 11x36.4GB 15K rpm. SAN-switches/fabric...

Bull: Escala PL420R with 2x1.45GHz Power4+ running AIX 5L, 6GiB RAM, 2x2G FC HBA, Storage: internal 4x18.2GB 10K rpm + EMC/Bull Clariion CX400 with 26x36GB 15K rpm. SAN-switch/fabric...

I suspect the p630 and the escala PL420R is the same machine, just rebadged by Bull, confirmation of this suspicion would be nice.

What would be the best performer? Storage system aside, what would give the most "processing power"? What storage system would be best from an IO maximization point of view?
Try to be brief and to the point. More info can be had upon request:-).
High points, since I'm in a hurry (relatively speaking:)... (Gah, you can't set it higher than 500 anymore. Oh well).

-- Glenn

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Asked On
2003-08-01 at 07:08:35ID20696897
Topics

Unix Operating Systems

,

Dragonfly BSD

,

HP-UX Unix

Participating Experts
7
Points
500
Comments
52

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