Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : Dual Xeon vs Pentium D ??

[HakonHoy]

I need some help with deciding on which server setup to choose.
Who of these two setups do you think is a best for a web site that will serve a large amount of visitors and use MySql and Php?

1 x Dual Xeon 2,4 GHz, 2048 MB RAM, 2 x 74 GB HD SCSI

and

Intel Pentium D EM64T Dual Core, 4096 MB DDR2, 2 x 250 GB HDD



Please help me out

[Dougy]

I dunno - do you really need that kind of space on a box? 500 GB? I think the Pentium is the way to go but, i'm sure others will beg to differ.

[MrRadic]

Originally Posted by HakonHoy

I need some help with deciding on which server setup to choose.
Who of these two setups do you think is a best for a web site that will serve a large amount of visitors and use MySql and Php?

1 x Dual Xeon 2,4 GHz, 2048 MB RAM, 2 x 74 GB HD SCSI

and

Intel Pentium D EM64T Dual Core, 4096 MB DDR2, 2 x 250 GB HDD



Please help me out

Can you please elaborate on the 1 X Dual Xeon? Is it a dual core Xeon or 2 Xeon processors?

If its 2 Xeon processors I would go with them over the Pentium D. Except I would try and get 2.8ghz Xeons instead.

[HakonHoy]

douglashaber: I don't realy need all that space, but its two different offers from hosts I have recieved.

MrRadic: 2 Xeon processors that is.. not dual core.

With the Pentium its 100% more RAM, should that make me choose that one or?

[Dougy]

Ask them if you can get less HDD maybe spend less money?

[MrRadic]

I didn't notice how much more ram was in the pentium. I'd stick with the Pentium in this case. It will allow you to have a lot of memory hogging services on 1 box (DB, Mail, Web, etc).

[turnkeyinternet]

Since you said 'lots of visitors' and 'mysql' (database), the short answer/winner is the one with the 4 gb of ram vs the one with 2 gb ram. The cpu for the pentium D you left off the 'mhz' so i'm not even going to guess here. SCSI would be a nice item, but that 2.4 ghz 'dual xeon' is a very old model server anyway, i'd stay away and go the pentium D route. If you are comparing against the more recent EM64T dual xeon 2.8 ghz+ cpu's that come with hyperthreading however, then i might lean that way, but that's the old generation xeon's you are being quoted there so the pentium D regardless of mhz should actualy win out especially with 4 gb ram.

[HakonHoy]

turnkeycolocation : the pentium is 3,2 GhZ.

Would th extra 2 GB of memory etc, make a huge difference?

[turnkeyinternet]

Originally Posted by HakonHoy

turnkeycolocation :
Would th extra 2 GB of memory etc, make a huge difference?

Yes. Any web site that relies on a database back end will significantly improve with more ram (ram is more important even over adding the faster SCSI disk drive system). With that extra 2 gb of ram you could essentially pre-store your entire database IN memory using the cache/buffer settings in your mysql configuration file, and completely bypass the entire disk system for 99% of all your sql querries, a massive performance gain there. It could partially depend on the size of your databsae too - if its a very small database, and / or your web site barely will be relying ont he mysql database then the extra 2 gb of ram may not be as important.

[Duport]

I would go for the first option even if it is a considerably old chip. The scsi drives will make a significant difference in performance

[CLKeenan]

Id go with the Pentium D and ask for them to swap the 2x250s with 2x74s unless you really need that much space

[VINAX]

I would go with first option and upgrade memory to 4GB when you really need it.

[layer0]

1 x Dual Xeon 2,4 GHz, 2048 MB RAM, 2 x 74 GB HD SCSI

The SCSI drives make the Dual Xeon more attractive. If possible though, you may look into a Dual Opteron which will offer more bang for the buck in terms of CPU. But do stick with the SCSI drives, they are truly the way to go for SQL.

[ComplexDrive]

The SCSI would win if it were 4x RAID 5, since its not then its P4D FTW, more ram and Sata ii drives(are they?)