Re: cvs pserver performance

[HMahaffey]

In a message dated 1/24/01 8:46:41 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
address@hidden writes:

> At 4:48 PM -0800 1/24/01, Brian Behlendorf wrote:
> >On Wed, 24 Jan 2001, Russ Tremain wrote:
> >> So we created a new device that was tuned for performance,
> >> and mounted it on the /tmp used by the pserver.  
> >
> >I recommend mounting /tmp on some sort of memory-based filesystem for
> >maximum performance - this made a big difference on apache.org.


The performance of our new Sun Cluster (an E4500 with 4 400Mhz processors, 
4Gb of RAM and 4Gb of paging/swap space) as a single-function CVS server is 
completely DWARFED by an HP Kayak with 128Mb of RAM on a 400Mhz  Pentium II 
running Linux.  The checkout of a very large module from the Solaris box 
might take 5 minutes, while the checkout of the same module from the Linux 
box might take 40 seconds.  I tried it on an HP-UX 10.20 system and got the 
same 5 minute delay.  Yeah.  Makes my head spin, too.  8:-)

So I was suspecting /tmpcvs (a separate filesystem we set up for CVS to use) 
and fantasizing about 2 things: buying 4Gb (or more) of RAM and being able to 
mount it as a filesystem like I used to be able to do with my old PC (anyone 
remember VDISK? ;)

Now I see THIS note and I'm starting to believe it's possible to do this with 
our Solaris system.  My knowledge of Unix system administration leaves a lot 
to be desired, so I ask the following:

  1)  Has anyone else seen such a vast discrepancy in performance with Linux 
vs.
       Sun/HP Unix?
  2)  Could anyone give me the magic incantation to mount RAM as a filesystem 
 
       for Solaris 8 and/or HP 10.20?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

:)hal mahaffey