SQL Server for NT on CISC and RISC

This test examines various hardware platforms for SQL Server for NT. The test machines were a SGI/ Mips Magnum (a 75- to 150-MHz R4400SC with 1 MB of cache memory and 32 MB of RAM), a DEC AXP 150 (a 150-MHz DECchip 21064 with 512 KB of cache memory and 32 MB of RAM), a Compaq Proliant (a dual 66-MHz Pentium with 256 KB of cache memory, and 32 MB of RAM), an Everex Step 486/50 (a 486DX2/50 with 256 KB of cache memory and 16 MB of RAM), and an IBM PS/2 Model 95 (a 486DX/33 with 256 KB of cache memory and 32 MB of RAM). The SGI/Mips Magnum is a favorite of mine. It's the fastest, smoothest NT workstation I've used regularly--a real thoroughbred. It's quickly becoming a collector's item, however, because SGI has passed the baton to NEC for the manufacturing of Mips-based NT workstations.

Waiting in the win gs was a Carrera Pantera II (a 200-MHz Alpha with 2 MB of cache memory) and an NEC Express RISCserver (a dual 75- to 150-MHz R4400), neither of which arrived in time for testing. On the horizon, DEC is working on Alpha-based multiprocessing systems.

The tests used are the query tests from NSTL. The transaction test results are not reported because of anomalies in the hard disk used for the transaction log.

About the Results

Best scores on individual queries were distributed rather evenly among the Compaq Deskpro 66/M, the Proliant, and the Magnum. The Proliant's multiprocessor technology, clearly capable of great results, can also falter. The Magnum's RISC engine similarly shows flashes of brilliance. But neither multiprocessing nor RISC clearly dominates these tests. RISC versus CISC? It's all just horsepower to NT, and if you can yoke the horses into teams, so much the better.

---

Windows NT SQL Server Query Performance Across Systems

                              IBM                COMPAQ                   DEC
                             PS/2     COMPAQ   PROLIANT       SGI/      ALPHA
                            MODEL    DESKPRO       (TWO       MIPS        AXP
                               95       66/M      CPUS)     MAGNUM        150


                              486        486    Pentium      R4400    DECchip
Processor                   DX/33     DX2/66         66         SC      21064
Processor clock rate (MHz)     33         66         66        150        150
Processor secondary cache  256 KB     256 KB     256 KB       1 MB     512 KB
RAM (MB)                       32         32         32         32         32


One user
Query 1                     10.43       7.82       4.24*      4.65      13.50**
Query 3                     15.46      12.87      35.37**     6.31*     14.07
Query 4                     28.22**    17.32       5.31*     13.68      16.41
Query 5                      5.30       2.89      13.22**     1.87*      4.38


Six users
Query 1                     21.16      16.38       8.89*     13.12      37.66**
Payment with query           0.48**     0.30       0.17*      0.22       0.34
Query 3                     39.86      31.51*    257.73**    62.29     174.47
ISBN order with query        2.91       1.49*      1.69       1.98       3.18**
Query 4                     40.16**    31.79       6.72*     18.61      25.37
Query 5                     10.39**     6.07       4.33       3.69*      9.08
ISBN order with query       12.93       6.80*      9.52       9.15      19.37**


12 users
Query 1                     44.22      34.97      20.08*     30.37      82.82**
Payment with query           0.86**     0.57       0.29*      0.38       0.60
Query 3                    112.11      76.15*    319.96**    87.20     273.75
ISBN order with query        6.36       3.12*      5.37       5.84       9.99**
Query 4                     74.47**    62.82      11.65*     34.25      46.53
Query 5                     17.33
      12.19      26.44**     6.16*     16.58
ISBN order with query       74.99**    21.16*     70.11      33.78      70.72


Numbers represent average response time in seconds.
* = best.
**= worst.