Re: System performance with more RAM than can be cached

Pavel Machek (pavel@Elf.mj.gts.cz)
Sun, 6 Jul 1997 17:04:14 +0200


Hi!

> [This is a bit off-topic. I don't know a better place to ask, but if
> there is a good website or mailing list that this issue falls within
> please let me know]

No, it is not off-topic.

> I have access to a batch of P120 boxes that are available for me to use up
> as servers - I aim to run news or squid web cache on them...
> They can physically take 128MB RAM.
> They have 256KB L2 cache soldered onto the motherboard - this cannot be
> upgraded.
> *Only* 64MB can be cached by the L2.
>
> [The motherboards are 8500TVX if that makes a difference]
>
> Normally I would throw as much RAM at the problem as I can.
> However would increasing the RAM above the 64MB cachable area cause
> performance to go down the toilet?

Give there 64M. I had similar problem, have patch for it (my patch
uses slow memory for buffers and fast for everything else - as long as
this is possible). It works - quite. Not too good, someone should make
it better way. Mail me for patch.

-- 
--
I'm really pavel@atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz. 	   Pavel
Look at http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~pavel/ ;-).