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From: connect@transport.com (Net Connection)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.solaris,comp.unix.aix
Subject: Re: ISP hardware/software choices (performance comparison)
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 08:35:46 GMT
Organization: Teleport - Portland's Public Access (503) 220-1016
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mstary@prairienet.org (stary) wrote:

>confused by this issue.  Many people prefer Sparcs (maybe I would as
>well), but business decision should be based more than on a personal
>preference alone.  Please read what I did, fell free to make comments,
>and if you can or are willing to, answer my questions below.

>Any ideas are welcomed....thank you for your time, Martin Stary

while the SPEC benchmarks (and several others) indicate the Pentium
systems to be just as fast (even faster) than similar made for Unix
boxes, one parameter is not often talked about - Socket Bandwidth.

LMbench tests for socket bandwidth, and the Sparc - Dec - HP etc.
machines ring in at 25 to 100 times faster than the Pentiums on that
one parameter. 

I don't know yet exactly how important that measure is, but it seems
to me that it could be very important in Web Service applications.

I would appreciate any input on this - I'm sure others would also