Re: Slightly-OT: Throw HW at a SW/DB problem

From: Rich Jesse <rjoralist2_at_society.servebeer.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:28:34 -0500 (CDT)
Message-ID: <637a3416de1457dd162786fe39431f73.squirrel_at_society.servebeer.com>



Jonathan replies to Norm:

> The other aspect of "tuning" by throwing hardware at it is that there is
> (obviously, I hope) a correct amount of hardware for any given application
> (even
> when it's perfectly designed and coded). So if the hardware supplied is less
> than the correct amount then adding hardware IS the correct solution. I've
> only
> seen this error a couple of times in 25 years, though.

One of the draws for me to my current job was the investment in the hardware infrastructure. Management actually sees the benefit of having properly sized servers (with an IT group that is able to demonstratively justify the expenditure of course!). It's a wonderful thing.

In the past 4+ years, I've been able to identify several application/database performance issues and work with our devs/analysts to correct them. And at least here, I can *prove* that those software changes improved performance orders of magnitude over any viable hardware, using a little Method-R™.

I'd really like to know more about the SQueaL Server/SSD scenario, but it sure smells of a scalability issue that would have eventually caught up with the fancy dancy new hardware. And those performance problems only get compounded as future software changes and additions get integrated/entangled.

And, yes, I do have a wonderfully fast SSD on my server at home. :)

Rich

p.s. Management has denied my request for a "K Computer" like at RIKEN.

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Received on Tue Jun 28 2011 - 10:28:34 CDT

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