[NMLUG] Using SMP kernel with single CPU?

[kazrak+nmlug at cesmail.net (Jeff Woods)]

At 6/4/2004 03:41 PM -0600, James Hamilton wrote:
>I'm pretty sold on smp for my linux systems these days.  Particularly for 
>multiuser systems, I really like how the os 'feels' with the second 
>cpu.  I'm speaking specifically of x86 arch here.

I've been a big fan of SMP for years and agree with James.  I think the 
positive impact of SMP is even more apparent on a desktop/workstation than 
on a server.  HyperThreading gets most of those advantages are a fraction 
of the cost.

At 6/4/2004 05:58 PM -0600, Steve Browne replied:
>However the single CPUs have now gotten so much faster it's questionable 
>whether it's worth the trouble.

I read that Intel recently announced (IIUC) that all their future processor 
families will be dual-core which means that *every* system built on those 
processors will be MP [but with two or more dual-core chips [total of four 
or more processors] then that wouldn't be Symmetric, I suppose.  I expect 
the dual cores to share cache (at least) and so it would be some kind of 
NUMA system.

>So if you love SMP, what mobo are YOU (all of you) using?

My latest personal/home workstation is built around an Abit IC7-G (Max2) 
with a single 2.4GHz P4C (800FSB) with HT enabled, 1GB of Crucial DDR400 
ECC RAM and a single 120GB SATA drive.  I'm very happy with the IC7-G and 
have been recommending it or the newer Max3 since building this sytem last 
August.

My RealSoonNow upgrade is to RAID0 a pair of 73GB Raptors and keep the 120 
as an online warehouse.  Yes, I know that's not protected against hardware 
failure; I do daily partial backups and weekly full backup to DLT with 
offsite rotation. [Yes, I've been bitten by failed drives and plan never to 
loose a drive full of data again.]

--
Jeff Woods <kazrak+nmlug@cesmail.net>