Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : Need advice on Xeon v. Opterons

[24hour]

Hi all:

First, I need to give a major KUDOS to Josh Petitt and vertexhost. Over the last couple of years, he/they have been simply awesome. I recommend them highly.

Here's my problem:

I have a relatively busy ubbthreads site (24hourcampfire). mysql database is at 750 MB, and the Post table is almost 600 MB of that.

I typically have 400+ users online, and we maxxed out at over 800 last month (which was an unusual spike).

I was on a shared dual processor, dual core machine, but we started crashing it. Needed to move to a dedicated box, but the price for a dedicated dual processor/dual core box was out of my price range. I have a budget of about $200/month, give or take.

As a stopgap, we tried a single-processor machine shared with just one other client. It works OK until about 300 users get online simultaneously, then mysql queries back up, and the site bogs way down. Not good.

I'm looking at dedicatednow (which has been lagging chuck wagon on the specials, to the point where I'm giving up hope on them), and zipservers.

Zipservers has two options that I need advice on.

They have dual Xeons machines. The link says dual Xeon, and the text says (2 x 2.8 Ghz), but I suspect they may be talking single CPU, dual core. Anybody know for sure? Anyway, for $259 they have 2 x 2.8 Ghz, Xeon, and 2 x 73 GB SCSI.

They also have Opterons designated as (2 x Opteron 242 w/1MB L2 Cache) with two 80 GB HD I assume to be IDE for $209.

Here are my questions: Do these look like dual-core, dual-CPU machines, or am I guessing right that they are cannily labeled single CPU boxes?

If they are single CPU, will these handle my needs? Both configs bring 2 GB RAM, BTW, which I know mysql loves and needs.

My BIG question: Am I better off with Xeon plus SCSI at $260, or Opteron with IDE for $209.

Thanks for all the help, in advance.

Rick Bin
24hourcampfire

[turnkeyinternet]

If its dual core, they will say that - if they say dual cpu, its 2 physical cpus. The 'stats' between dual core vs dual cpu is fairly close (i've seen stats skewed in both directions so I'm not going to argue the point). Personally I'd go dual cpu, with hyperthreading (xeon em64t chips which is what most providers quote for 2.8 ghz dual xeon) over a dual core server any day.

Without seeing all the stats on your database querries, I'm fairly certain You are better off with dual xeon with scsi vs anyting with IDE.

Also, for the usage you have - you aren't going to run that on anything short of a 2gb ram dual core box, and ideally i'd go with 4 gb and dual xeon box. Scsi is ideal, but if you have to skimp somewhere, id skimp on scsi and opt for SATA and put the budget money into getting 4 gb of ram. 4 gb of ram will get you lots more performance over 1 gb of ram, and cost probably the same as a dual scsi disk system.

Good luck.