Re: Distributed build overhead and Mac Mini vs XServe pricing
Re: Distributed build overhead and Mac Mini vs XServe pricing
- Subject: Re: Distributed build overhead and Mac Mini vs XServe pricing
- From: Andrew Kimpton <email@hidden>
- Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 09:48:10 -0800
Scott Tooker wrote:
I believe that the Mac Mini has a 4200 rpm drive so the I/O
performance is not going to compete with the faster disks you find in
the G5 PowerMac or the xServe. However, as you point out the price
for a Mac mini is much lower, so using more Mac Minis may compensate
(don't know since I've never tried).
That's quite slow by current standards (I guess there's quite a price
saving). My PowerBook G4 has the 5400 RPM drive, but that's still a bit
faster. During a distributed build is the local drive used for
retrieving framework headers etc. ? Or does the data coming across the
net include a fully precompiled set of headers with everything in it?
Avoiding swapping would be the other key thing - the minis are really no
bargain at all with the Factory installed 1Gig Ram (add nearly $500 !),
perhaps the more modest 512MB for an additional 75 bucks would be better
value.
The rule of thumb I go by is to start with 4 to 6 remote builders and
then increase from there if you are using a fast local machine.
Yep - I'm thinking that starting with 4 may be a good way to start, I
suspect we may even have other users for the machines around the office
(upgrading old iMacs on office desks etc.) if we find that the Minis
really don't cut it. We'll see what management says :-)
The local machine needs to perform all preprocessing for the remote
build servers, so 6 remote builders will place more strain on the
local machine than 2 remote builders.
Yep - I've found that a slow machine doing the 'coordination' can have a
overall build performance improved if it does NOT include itself in the
distributed build farm but rather is just 'running the build'.
Scott
Andrew 8-)
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