Re: [TCLUG:607] Mixing Alphas and x86s

[Benjamin Kochie <ben@intexp.com>]

well.. a couple of things.. how linux does shared memory *AFAIK* each
program can share parts of itself with other programs... most of the
sharing is done though lib's (libc, and others) since netscape is usually
only opened once by each user (it warn's against a second real copy) it
will probably take up 5MB of memory base for each client.  if you wish to
be Xhosting the application.. and not just serving the bins to each
destkop.. you will run into a large ammount of system load.. even on a
fast alpha.

alpha processor models
21064, oldest, fairly slow per mhz
21066, step up.. still kinda slow
21164, current wide available CPU.. very fast
21264, still in beta *AFAIK*  will beat the pants off of a PII :)

On Mon, 13 Jul 1998 whisper@bitstream.net wrote:

> On Sun, Jul 12, 1998 at 10:14:13PM -0500, Clay Fandre wrote:
> > > Would it be possible to compile apps on the x86 machines and then copy
> > > them to the server and run them from there?
> > >
> > > -Tim
> > 
> > I think compiling the apps on a x86 and then putting them on the server is
> > your best bet. Netscape comes as binaries, so you don't even need to compile 
> > that. Just throw it on your server and export that directory. Running 30 
> > instances of Netscape remotely causes excess network traffic which will 
> > slow things down as bit.
> > 
> 
> this will not work if your server is an alpha.  the alpha has a completely
> different architecture and system calls, it would be like trying to take a
> microsoft x86 binary and run it on a mac powerpc (with no x86 emulator that 
> is).  i was not aware of your 30 simultaneous copies of netscape running 
> when i made the statement.  as i have no experiance with using an alpha, i 
> cannot really say what 30 netscapes are going to do to it, but my guess is 
> that it hopefully wont be too bad, because if i'm not mistaken, if more then 
> one copy of a program is run, don't the rest of the copies use basically the
> same data segments, etc. of the first???  i could be wrong here, its been a
> while since operating system classes, any developer out there know for
> sure.  by the way, what kind of alpha?  the newer 21264's or the older
> 21164's?  how much ram?  i know this is hypothetical, but i was just
> wondering.
> 
> len.
> 
> -- 
> 
>         -  -  --  --- -----[ whisper@bitstream.net ]----- --- -- -   -
> 
>                                         "The darkness still has work to do."
> 
>   - -  -- ----[ 83 C0 55 57 7D AF 81 A1  7B 14 49 0C A0 7F 45 E8 ]-- -  -   -
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: tclug-list-unsubscribe@listserv.real-time.com
> For additional commands, e-mail: tclug-list-help@listserv.real-time.com
> Try our website: http://tclug.real-time.com
>