Thread: PostgreSQL and AMD?

Technology Director
Debraneys
www.debraneys.com

On Sun, 15 Jun 2008, John Tregea wrote:

> The machines would be running Windows XP Pro (our clients requirement).
> Can anyone tell me if PostgreSQL runs fine on the AMD platform and
> specifically does anyone have experience with the AMD Phenom™ Quad
> Core Processors 9600B.

Once you've settled on Windows as your PostgreSQL platform, you've kind of
given up on prioritizing performance at that point--there's a couple of
issues that limit how good that can possibly be no matter what hardware
you throw at it.  Details like which processor you're using are pretty
trivial in comparision.  Also, the real questions you should be asking are
ones like "did I get a good disk controller for database use?" which is a
really serious concern in this space.  My guess is you're talking about an
HP DC5850.  I am rather skeptical of the disk subsystem in that system (at
most two disks and just a crappy BIOS RAID) working well in a database
context.  It's probably fine for a non-critical system, but I wouldn't run
a business on it.

In general, AMD has been lagging just a bit behind Intel's products
recently on systems with a small number of sockets.  There are occasional
reports where multi-socket multi-core systems from AMD are claimed to do
better than similar Intel systems due to AMD's better bus design, I
haven't seen that big difference either way myself in recent products.

I've been using several different types of Opteron and X2 processors
systems from AMD the last couple of years and typically they work just
fine.  But Phenom has really been a troubled platform launch for AMD and I
think that's why nobody has offered any suggestions to you yet--I haven't
heard any reports from people using that chip in a server environment yet.

--
* Greg Smith gsmith@gregsmith.com http://www.gregsmith.com Baltimore, MD

Dear Greg,

Thanks for your valuable and extensive reply. You were right that it is
the HP machine the client is wanting, I did also find a configuration
that has a Quad Core Intel processor and they will probably go with that
for continuity with their current hardware. The PostgreSQL database on
the server is to be used as an authentication gateway for enterprise
installations of SAP, SQL Server and a bunch of GIS and other data
applications, so there won't be a big processing or data transfer load.
There will be two identical machines each with a hot swap drive bay as
well as an internal 160GB drive. Initially there will only be around 50
non concurrent users so again, low load. I have used PostgreSQL for
around four years, but always on Intel chipsets and I had never thought
to investigate processor brands. When the client mentioned AMD I thought
"uh oh" this could be a black hole here.

I note your comments about disk controllers and will investigate that
area too for our next, larger, install.

Thanks again and regards

John

Greg Smith wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Jun 2008, John Tregea wrote:
>
>> The machines would be running Windows XP Pro (our clients
>> requirement). Can anyone tell me if PostgreSQL runs fine on the AMD
>> platform and specifically does anyone have experience with the AMD
>> Phenom™ Quad Core Processors 9600B.
>
> Once you've settled on Windows as your PostgreSQL platform, you've
> kind of given up on prioritizing performance at that point--there's a
> couple of issues that limit how good that can possibly be no matter
> what hardware you throw at it. Details like which processor you're
> using are pretty trivial in comparision. Also, the real questions you
> should be asking are ones like "did I get a good disk controller for
> database use?" which is a really serious concern in this space. My
> guess is you're talking about an HP DC5850. I am rather skeptical of
> the disk subsystem in that system (at most two disks and just a crappy
> BIOS RAID) working well in a database context. It's probably fine for
> a non-critical system, but I wouldn't run a business on it.
>
> In general, AMD has been lagging just a bit behind Intel's products
> recently on systems with a small number of sockets. There are
> occasional reports where multi-socket multi-core systems from AMD are
> claimed to do better than similar Intel systems due to AMD's better
> bus design, I haven't seen that big difference either way myself in
> recent products.
>
> I've been using several different types of Opteron and X2 processors
> systems from AMD the last couple of years and typically they work just
> fine. But Phenom has really been a troubled platform launch for AMD
> and I think that's why nobody has offered any suggestions to you
> yet--I haven't heard any reports from people using that chip in a
> server environment yet.
>
> --
> * Greg Smith gsmith@gregsmith.com http://www.gregsmith.com Baltimore, MD

john@debraneys.com ("John Tregea") writes:
> I have been asked to specify a pair of HP PC's to set up a
> PostGreSQL server (and backup) for a client. The HP model we are
> looking at has an AMD Phenomâ,,¢ Quad Core Processor (9600B). The
> machines would be running Windows XP Pro (our clients
> requirement). Can anyone tell me if PostgreSQL runs fine on the AMD
> platform and specifically does anyone have experience with the AMD
> Phenomâ,,¢ Quad Core Processors 9600B.

Get thee to the Build Farm.
http://pgbuildfarm.org/

In particular, PostgreSQL most certainly "runs fine on the AMD
platform;" the following nodes each ran full regression tests within
the last week.


http://pgbuildfarm.org/cgi-bin/show_status.pl?member=beaver&member=beluga&member=boodie&member=bustard&member=caribou&member=chamois&member=chinchilla&member=clownfish&member=codlin_moth&member=dove&member=dugong&member=dungbeetle&member=eland&member=emperor_moth&member=ermine&member=fennec&member=finch&member=ghost_moth&member=heron&member=impala&member=kite&member=leveret&member=luna_moth&member=ostrich&member=panda&member=platypus&member=rhea&member=rosella&member=Shad&member=shark&member=tapir&member=viper&member=viscacha&member=wasp&member=wolf&member=zebra

Mind you, not one of them are running Windows XP Pro.
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