Hyperthreading SQL Server 7 - HELP!

Could you clarify the following.
We are looking to buy a quad xeon box (ie 8 virtual processors). From
reading MS documentation it looks like W2K Server won't cut it - we
will need to move to W2K Advanced Server, correct?
Secondly, will Sql Server 7 support 8 virtual processors under such a
scenario?
Thirdly, based on our proposed box 4 x 2.0 GHz Xeon + 2 Gb RAM - for
more performance would you increase the processor speed (eg to 2.5GHz)
or add more RAM (eg to 4 Gb, or more)?
Many Thanks,
StewartI think win2k server ONLY supports 2 physical procs, so you'll neet Advanced
Server...I think you'll also need sql 7 Enterprise to support 4 procs...
Please make sure SQL 7 Enterprise will run on W2k Advanced Server... ( I
think it will, but be safe and double check..)
"Stewart" <windsurfin_stew@.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:9373ee00.0308112138.1cb2f916@.posting.google.com...
> Could you clarify the following.
> We are looking to buy a quad xeon box (ie 8 virtual processors). From
> reading MS documentation it looks like W2K Server won't cut it - we
> will need to move to W2K Advanced Server, correct?
> Secondly, will Sql Server 7 support 8 virtual processors under such a
> scenario?
> Thirdly, based on our proposed box 4 x 2.0 GHz Xeon + 2 Gb RAM - for
> more performance would you increase the processor speed (eg to 2.5GHz)
> or add more RAM (eg to 4 Gb, or more)?
> Many Thanks,
> Stewart|||Win 2K server supports 4 Procs.
Here is a good doc on Microsoft , Win2K and hyperthreading
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/docs/hyperthreading.doc
--
--
Allan Mitchell (Microsoft SQL Server MVP)
MCSE,MCDBA
www.SQLDTS.com
I support PASS - the definitive, global community
for SQL Server professionals - http://www.sqlpass.org
"Wayne Snyder" <wsnyder@.computeredservices.com> wrote in message
news:ue9wXLLYDHA.1640@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> I think win2k server ONLY supports 2 physical procs, so you'll neet
Advanced
> Server...I think you'll also need sql 7 Enterprise to support 4 procs...
> Please make sure SQL 7 Enterprise will run on W2k Advanced Server... ( I
> think it will, but be safe and double check..)
> "Stewart" <windsurfin_stew@.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:9373ee00.0308112138.1cb2f916@.posting.google.com...
> > Could you clarify the following.
> >
> > We are looking to buy a quad xeon box (ie 8 virtual processors). From
> > reading MS documentation it looks like W2K Server won't cut it - we
> > will need to move to W2K Advanced Server, correct?
> >
> > Secondly, will Sql Server 7 support 8 virtual processors under such a
> > scenario?
> >
> > Thirdly, based on our proposed box 4 x 2.0 GHz Xeon + 2 Gb RAM - for
> > more performance would you increase the processor speed (eg to 2.5GHz)
> > or add more RAM (eg to 4 Gb, or more)?
> >
> > Many Thanks,
> >
> > Stewart
>|||As for your performance question. You will definitely buy more power by
adding memory instead of CPU here. Go with 4GB RAM.
"Allan Mitchell" <allan@.no-spam.sqldts.com> wrote in message
news:e3GbgjLYDHA.1280@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Win 2K server supports 4 Procs.
> Here is a good doc on Microsoft , Win2K and hyperthreading
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/docs/hyperthreading.doc
> --
> --
> Allan Mitchell (Microsoft SQL Server MVP)
> MCSE,MCDBA
> www.SQLDTS.com
> I support PASS - the definitive, global community
> for SQL Server professionals - http://www.sqlpass.org
>
> "Wayne Snyder" <wsnyder@.computeredservices.com> wrote in message
> news:ue9wXLLYDHA.1640@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > I think win2k server ONLY supports 2 physical procs, so you'll neet
> Advanced
> > Server...I think you'll also need sql 7 Enterprise to support 4
procs...
> > Please make sure SQL 7 Enterprise will run on W2k Advanced Server... ( I
> > think it will, but be safe and double check..)
> > "Stewart" <windsurfin_stew@.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> > news:9373ee00.0308112138.1cb2f916@.posting.google.com...
> > > Could you clarify the following.
> > >
> > > We are looking to buy a quad xeon box (ie 8 virtual processors). From
> > > reading MS documentation it looks like W2K Server won't cut it - we
> > > will need to move to W2K Advanced Server, correct?
> > >
> > > Secondly, will Sql Server 7 support 8 virtual processors under such a
> > > scenario?
> > >
> > > Thirdly, based on our proposed box 4 x 2.0 GHz Xeon + 2 Gb RAM - for
> > > more performance would you increase the processor speed (eg to 2.5GHz)
> > > or add more RAM (eg to 4 Gb, or more)?
> > >
> > > Many Thanks,
> > >
> > > Stewart
> >
> >
>|||SQL Server 7.0 Standard Edition will only support 4 processors, and it can't
tell the difference between physical and logical processors. So, if you
want it to use all 8 logical processors on your proposed configuration
you'll want to purchase Enterprise Edition. In addition, 2GB of memory is
marginal for this sized configuration if you are really worried about
maximum performance. So you'll want more memory and Enterprise Edition to
support that additional memory. With 7.0 the best you can do for memory is
the /3GB switch. So the maximum useful memory on the system is going to be
4GB.
An alternative is to stick with Standard Edition and just have it use one
logical processor on each physical processor. Background tasks (Windows
processes, SQL Agent, etc.) will make some use of the additional logical
processors. Keep in mind that the additional logical processors don't
double system performance anyway, most of the data I've heard suggests
they'll give you about a 20% boost. And if you make heavy use of parallel
query then they might actually lead to some pathological conditions that
degrade performance. Finally, with Standard Edition you'd still be limited
to 2GB of memory, which in the long run is your most likely bottleneck.
--
Hal Berenson, SQL Server MVP
True Mountain Group LLC
"Stewart" <windsurfin_stew@.yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:9373ee00.0308112138.1cb2f916@.posting.google.com...
> Could you clarify the following.
> We are looking to buy a quad xeon box (ie 8 virtual processors). From
> reading MS documentation it looks like W2K Server won't cut it - we
> will need to move to W2K Advanced Server, correct?
> Secondly, will Sql Server 7 support 8 virtual processors under such a
> scenario?
> Thirdly, based on our proposed box 4 x 2.0 GHz Xeon + 2 Gb RAM - for
> more performance would you increase the processor speed (eg to 2.5GHz)
> or add more RAM (eg to 4 Gb, or more)?
> Many Thanks,
> Stewart