From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from mailserv2.iuinc.com (qmailr@mailserv2.iuinc.com [206.245.164.55]) by puffin.external.hp.com (8.8.7/8.8.7) with SMTP id BAA18343 for ; Fri, 14 May 1999 01:37:57 -0600 Message-ID: <19990514073913.18827@insula.local> Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 07:39:13 +0000 From: Philipp Rumpf To: Justin Maurer , parisc-linux@thepuffingroup.com Subject: Re: [parisc-linux] performance computing review of a180 Reply-To: Philipp Rumpf References: <19990513184043.A20996@master.debian.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii In-Reply-To: <19990513184043.A20996@master.debian.org>; from Justin Maurer on Thu, May 13, 1999 at 06:40:43PM -0500 List-ID: >by popular request, here are some key bits from the review of the a180 in this >month's _unix's review's performance computing_: I think there are some bits there that are interesting. > (the machine as test was priced at $16,568. it had one cpu (lc), 1gb ram, two > 4gb drives, and hp-ux 11.0) 1 GB RAM sounds a bit much if you later whine about the RAM being too expensive. Furthermore, they seem to have enough money to buy 1 GB of RAM, but not enough to buy the A180C version, which scores at 130% of the A180 in SPECweb96 (650 vs 500) according to HP's docs. > "most recent non-intel servers have 64-bit cpus, but the core of the a-class > is hp's pa-7300, a 32-bit processor. this may seem a bit retro, but there is > little about internet services that actually benefits from 64-bit processor" What is a bit retro about the 7300LC, according to HP's website, is it is manufactured in 0.50 um-process. This could be the reason for it being clocked comparably low at 180 MHz. >"the only printed documentation that ships with the a-class is a small booklet >showing basic cable connections and outlining the customary safety and >regulatory statements. all other documentation is either part of the installed >hp-ux os (for example, online manual pages...additionally, the hp instant >information cd-rom, a collection of documentation is available as a $300 >option. thus, to install the a-class, it is cubersome (though necessary) to >have another system on hand to various documentation web sites." This attitude, if it is more common, could make Linux on the A180 a lot more popular. Linux is fairly standardized, you can get most Documentation as hardcopy or read it on an x86 box etc. >finally, the last thing before the closing comments is a bit on performance: >"...the 180-mhz a-class also produces spec scores lower than the 400mhz >pentium ii xeon processor, which is fairly common in intel-based servers. >interestingly, hp has chosen not to publish, at least at press time, benchmark >results for the a-class for the specweb96 benchmark, which would be an obvious >choice for a web-specific system design...." its spec scores are then compared >to several other 64-bit systems.. I don't know if the information HP gave us was publically available before, but it gives SPECweb96 results. > "...for example, the system memory is comparatively expensive, evidenced by > the price of the system we tested. thus, while the a-class hits the design > mark for high-density rackmount servers (20 in a two-meter rack), more-robust > configurations are pricey. as a result, design gets a two-flag rating on our > scale--average." > "...expansion is not a big issue...the version of bind should have been > upgraded to bind 8, and not including sendmail 8.9 we feel is a > mistake...performance is not a primary objective for hp with the a-class.." This should be no problem with Linux. >in short, they give it "poor" on installation and documentation, "average" on >design, expandibility, performance, and *overall*, and "good" on operation. >they basically give it a few nice compliments, then rag on the same things and >more. more towards the negative side, overall. sounds as there seems to be interest in Linux on the A180.