Re: Hardware selection

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 psql-mail(at)freeuk(dot)com wrote:

> The data will be stored on an external raid,
> SCSI based 2.5TB with IDE disks. Configured as 1 large volume, RAID5. (
> We already have this hardware)

How come you did not go with SCSI disks?
Specially 15K ones.
Performance will be much better with RAID 1+0/0+1 than with RAID 5.

> Dell Poweredge 6650
> 16GB RAM
> Quad intel hyperthreaded arch

As others mentioned you may be better off going with a 64bit architecture.
I have no experience with that, but you consider a SUN machine or a HP
Alpha.

> PERC3Q controller
> 36GB System HDD
> approx 20K UKP

My advice would be get just a 2 CPU machine, get a better disk subsystem
and get only 8GB of RAM (or get 64bit and 16GB RAM).

> Any comments on better alternatives or modification to this system
> would be very helpful!

You REALLY need to think out your DB structures and your index schemes.
That could mean all the difference. A good DB organization will help you
probably more than just simply throwing hardware at the problem.

> Question 3 - what would be the best way to distribute tables/swap/
> system disk space?

Throw it all at your RAID 1+0 device.