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Can anyone provide guidance on which processor to use for a dedicated server that will be running the LAMP stack?

 

Athlon is 64 bit CPU. Do applications have to be programmed to take advantage of it?

 

Thanks,

Yes. The recent (and still prevalent) operating systems are programmed with 32-bit instructions. They can sorta-kinda do some 64-bit numbers but mostly by splitting them into two 32-bit numbers.

The big problem at the moment for the big 64-bit processors is exactly that: the widespread 32-bit operating system (OS), and the available applications.

An interesting problem is that Intel went a different way, breaking away from the legacy programming used in the bottom-line instructions. They decided that with the 64-bit processors they`d introduce a whole different "language" for those instructions that run the basic chip.

AMD went the other way, making their new 64-bit chips backward compatible. My own personal feeling is that I`d go with the AMD simply because of that backward compatibility. If the world ramps up with 64-bit applications, then fine...you can revisit the situation in a few years. It won`t be so difficult to go from AMD to Intel. But it might be problematic going from Intel to AMD (or whomever else is building systems by then).

Again, only my own personal "intuition" if you will, but I think Intel is in a similar condition to Microsoft. They`re resting on their laurels, having made some not-so-great decisions recently. AMD being smaller, under the gun, and competing, is more closely affiliated with IBM.

IBM is backing the Open Source community, where Microsoft is kind of bucking the trend (no surprise there). So although the MySQL tends to be sort of Microsoft oriented, for want of a better word, the rest of the LAMP structure leans toward Open Source. If it were me, I`d just feel better with an AMD processor...as they seem to be much more interested in "me" the end-user than is Intel.

CraigL,

That makes sense. Every person that I spoke with, assured me that 64 bit CPU’s are faster, but unless the application software and OS is aware it it’s advance capabilities they can’t take advantage of them.

Also, is their any value in using a dual or quad CPU configuration?

Thanks,

I have to agree with CraigL.  When 64-bit architechure came out, it was all the rage but for whatever reason, not many people adopted it and there is very little application software available that utilizes 64-bit. In fact, 32bit software tends to even run slower on them!  My guess it`s due to the fact that dual/quad core processors have recently been released for desktops at a relatively low price that is really fast!

As for your server, a dual or quad CPU configuration is preferred. This would allow for more processing power and the ability to handle more load. This is beneficial especially if you are running database driven websites and are hit with a lot of traffic. You can also host many websites on one server without decreasing the performance.

Of course there is a certain point where the traffic is too much for one server to handle and you have to think about distributing the load to a 2nd, 3rd, etc server and other load balancing techiques....but that is probably a good thing :)


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Brandon Eng, Owner, Lead Studios

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Thanks for your help - Hardware configuration is one of my many limitations.

But do programs and scripts need to be designed specifically to take advantage of dual CPU`s? Or is it like running a faster CPU with more memory - it just knows that it is there?

Once again, Intel and AMD chose two Very different pathways in putting multiple processors on a single "die," the piece of silicon we see as a "chip."

Intel`s method is a "kludge," where they speed up processing in one area, at the cost of slowing it down in another area. Their "dual core" technology is a way to catch up with AMD, and an outgrowth of some other methods of trying to get more speed out of a technology that`s reaching its limit.

AMD chose a different system, in which they actually put four different processors on the chip, then tie them together with a link. Each processor can be completely separate, working on a task, then they use this common bridge to move the results off to memory and so forth.

I don`t want to get technical, as it`s all out there in the world information (here`s an example). But the bottom line is that the so-called Moore`s "Law" isn`t a "law" at all. It`s a target-setting goal, generated by the head of Intel at the time, speaking to how we double the processing power each year. Bovine feces! A "law" is a principle of physics, and this is only an arbitrary statement of an observation, intended to set hopeful goals.

AMD uses what`s called the X86 instruction set for what`s called the "microcode" on a chip. This is the very tiny programming language built into a chip that tells it how to add or subtract numbers, and what to do with those numbers. It`s the instruction set used for all previous IBM-type PC chips---a so-called WinTel machine, Windows-Intel.

Now in the Itanium and Xeon, Intel is trying to brand the term "dual-core technology." It actually refers to some other occult features within the chips, and isn`t at all the same as AMD`s multiple processor technology.

This could become a technical discussion and it shouldn`t. To answer your basic question, there aren`t many applications at all designed to take advantage of 64-bit processing. You can go with the "latest and greatest," or you can go with "the best and most efficient." American consumers tend to buy on the basis that if it costs more it "must be" better. That`s ridiculous of course, but it`s a cultural part of the market.

Maybe if you`re stuck using Windows. Unix (including Linux) has been doing 64 bit for a while.



What has MySQL got to do with Microsoft? They`re two different companies and MySQL is definitely open source.


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Blog - http://www.buggy.id.au/

Six months ago this would have been true but today it`s total crap!! Intel released a new series of chips in July called the Core 2 Duo to replace their existing chips. Everyone who`s tested them says they kick AMD out of the park. Of course this doesn`t mean that AMD`s chips are suddenly worse, just that AMD will need to drop the price to be more competitive.

I haven`t tested Linux on a Core 2 Duo (yet) but that`s the path I would be going.

You may also be interested to know that the Core 2 Duo`s are 64 bit (but will work with 32 bit Operating Systems and Applications).


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Blog - http://www.buggy.id.au/

Are their any benchmark reports that show the performance difference between competing CPUs?

Zounds! :-D I guess I should be keeping up with this on a monthly basis, but since I`m not that into it, I`m glad that other forum members can bring in the latest data. Actually, come to think of it, I have been pretty biased towards Windows, leaving Linux in the dark. Then again, I`m also biased toward AMD, having nothing at all to do with Windows.

Some good references, RichardB.