In article <D0K2r3.7CL@finnbogi.ocs.com>, I asked:
> I have an old SS10/30. Time to upgrade. Which path would you advise, and
> why: an MP upgrade to 2 60MHz SuperSPARCs, or stay uniprocessor and
> upgrade to a 100MHz HyperSPARC?
Thank you to everyone who responded. I couldn't thank each one personally,
but I appreciate your time and trouble taken to respond.
There were basically three types of answer:
(1) In a heavily loaded GUI environment like a development system, you get
better response if you have multiple processors, since the various
processors like editor, window manager, etc., are not all competing for
CPU. Further, the 60MHz TI SuperSPARC is only a little slower than a
100MHz HyperSPARC. Recommend: 2 TI SuperSPARCs.
(2) The HyperSPARC is a more modern architecture and the upgrade path is
better --- add one HyperSPARC now, and you're paving the way for
HyperSPARC MP in the future by adding another HyperSPARC module. Further,
an MP solution does not scale as well as a high-clockspeed solution. I/O
to and from devices will show no improvement at all. Besides, a 100MHz
HyperSPARC is less expensive than 2 60MHz SuperSPARCs (true; I called Sun,
100MHz HyperSPARC is $7000 and 2 20MHz SuperSPARCs are $11,000).
Recommend: 1 100MHz HyperSPARC.
(3) Why bother with either? Go with an MP HyperSPARC solution such as the
ones already available from Andataco. Woobin Lee <woobin@fizzle.ee.washington.edu>
sent me the following price list:
For SS10 For 600MP For SS20 PRICE
55 MHz Product Price
(single CPU module) RT100-D-55 RT600-D-55 RT200-D-55 $1,020
(dual CPU module) RT100-S-55 RT600-S-55 RT200-S-55 $1,910
(quad CPU module) RT100-Q-55 RT600-Q-55 RT200-Q-55 $3,555
66 MHz Product Price
(single CPU module) RT100-D-66 RT600-D-66 RT200-D-66 $2,015
(dual CPU module) RT100-S-66 RT600-S-66 RT200-S-66 $3,680
(quad CPU module) RT100-Q-66 RT600-Q-66 RT200-Q-66 $6,900
72 MHz Product Price
(single CPU module) RT100-D-72 RT600-D-72 RT200-D-72 $2,420
(dual CPU module) RT100-S-72 RT600-S-72 RT200-S-72 $4,420
(quad CPU module) RT100-Q-72 RT600-Q-72 RT200-Q-72 $8,285
These raise more questions, which I've asked in a separate posting.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Fri Sep 28 2001 - 23:09:17 CDT