Single CPU vs. Dual CPU performance

[jeremybrunell]

Hi everyone,

I have a LAMP box with a huge database constantly queried with long select queries. I'm looking for a server to migrate it into.

I am trying to figure out which of the two following options will be best for the task at hand. Assume that the rest of the configuration such as RAM and HD are identical.

Server one:
1 CPU:
Intel Xeon E5-2640 v4 @ 2.40GHz

Server two:
2 CPUs:
Intel Xeon E5-2620 v4 @ 2.10GHz


Price is relatively similar for the two machines so I can go either way. Which one would perform better on the server I described above?

[David (PassMark)]

Throwing hardware at this type of problem will of course help. But in our experience MUCH greater gains can be obtained from optimisation of the database itself and the query.

Impossible to answer your question without knowing more data. Critical questions would be,
- If the database you are using is single threaded for each query
- Do multiple queries overlap in time
- How many queries overlap in time
- If the bottle neck even in the CPU. More often it is the disk
- What other load is on the box
- Are they mostly read only queries (e.g. can you run the DB in a RAM drive)

But is the absence of any other information I would take the Xeon E5-2640 v4 @ 2.40GHz. Or have a look around for the even cheaper and newer Xeon E3-1280 v6 @ 3.90GHz as this E3 has much better single thread performance.

[davidglines]

Hi Jeremy,

I would definitely choose Option 1 - Intel Xeon E5-2640 v4 @ 2.40GHz. If the price is similar, then choose this one. Max Turbo Frequency is 3.40 GHz .

David