Windows 2000 Performance Guide

Chapter 5. Multiprocessing

As discussed in the last chapter, one sure route to better performance is to buy denser microprocessor chips, which have more logic packed into less space and therefore run faster. Intel founder Gordon Moore’s Law, which says that microprocessor density and speeds will double every 18-24 months or so, has not let us down over the last 20 years. If you wait long enough, perhaps your performance problems will just go away with the next generation of computer chips! Another proven technique is multiprocessing, building computers with two, four, or more microprocessors, all capable of executing the same workload in parallel. Instead of waiting another 18 months for processor speed to double again, you might be able to take advantage of multiprocessing technology to double or quadruple your performance today. If you have a workload that is out of capacity on a single-processor system, a multiprocessor configuration running Windows 2000 may be the only reasonable alternative that offers you any hope of relief from these capacity constraints today.

Multiprocessing technology lets you harness the power of multiple microprocessors running a single copy of the Windows 2000 operating system. Enterprise-class server models with multiple CPUs abound. When is a two- or four-way multiprocessor solution a good answer for your processing needs? How much better performance should you expect from a server with multiple engines? What sorts of workloads lend themselves to ...