CPU Intel AMD

Largely depends on what you're doing with the system. More isn't ALWAYS better. Can you tell us a bit more about your setup, OS, and what applications and processes you will be running on the machine?

Installing vSphere and dedicate the entire server for database ( sql ), so my intention was to have 4 or 5 VM running sql server ( 4 or 5 sql servers ) , like to provide more core power instead of more cpu - in total two cpu with more cores - this is my intention so i can limit my licensing to two cpu.

Well then this is certainly a case where more is more. For what you are doing you have the correct idea, the more cores per socket the better for you.

Not really much to talk about, you have the correct logical setup in mind so go for it!

i would like to do it - but the issue is we are so far using Intel processor, leaping into AMD, bit suspicious that is what i need some feed back (cant just go due to more core, also need to think about the speed , clock etc of the new processor).

Given your specific application. As long as the speeds are relative (meaning you going go from 3.0 GHz Intel to 2.0 GHz AMD) then the additional cores is what you specifically need. 10% more speed on the bus isn't going to cover the spread of additional cores.

How current is your information?  AMD has the six core "Istanbul", but Intel now has the six core X5680, which leads all performance benchmarks: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html.  AMD is still lagging behind Intel in the raw performance category, and Intel has brought back hyperthreading that actually contributes to the performance.  AMD was better in the power usage domain, but Intel is making inroads there as well.

Callandor,
did you mean the 4 core Interl would beat the 6 core AMD or 6 core Intel would beat the 6 core AMD?

Does intel have a 6 core cpu, could you confirm the Intel® Xeon® X5680, 3.33Ghz, 12M Cache,Turbo is a 6 core CPU ?

Thanks.

Could you compare these two , which one will do better ?

Intel® Xeon® L5609 1.86Ghz vs  Six Core Opteron 2435, 2.6Ghz,

Thanks.

I couldn't find any benchmarks on the L5609, but all the "L" series cpus are low-power variants which are designed to use minimal power (this has a thermal design power of 40, which is extremely low for a 4-core processor; the X5550 has a TDP of 95).  It has a clock of 1.867GHz and a QPI of 2400MHz, as opposed to the X5550's 2.667GHz clock and QPI of 3200MHz, so I would expect lower performance.  That is the tradeoff when power consumption is more important, which would be the case if you had a farm of these.