Max processor cores

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Max processor cores

Ravi SQL

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July 12, 2012 at 8:12 pm

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Comments posted to this topic are about the item Max processor cores
Regards,
Ravi.
July 13, 2012 at 3:12 am

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Haaico SSC-Addicted Points: 434 More actions · Answer 1

I hate to say it but this is another one of those questions that is not quite clear enough. Is a processor core a logical processor or a processor?

The same article that is quoted to contain the answer mentions that on Windows Server 2008 R2 (what if it is installed on another OS?) SQL 2008 R2 DC can use a maximum of 64 processors or 256 logical processors.

So in this case I think both 64 and 256 should be accepted as correct.

Cheers.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 2

Although I got it correct, I think the true correct answer should have been Operating System Maximium. This would have taken the version of the OS out of the question.

BrainDonor SSCoach Points: 19254 More actions · Answer 3

Lynn Pettis (7/12/2012)
Although I got it correct, I think the true correct answer should have been Operating System Maximium.

Indeed it should - according to BOL - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993(v=sql.105).aspx

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call.copse SSCoach Points: 18050 More actions · Answer 4

I'd agree OS max is the best response, but there is little ambiguity in terms of the fact that cores in the question definitely means logical processors.

Gazareth One Orange Chip Points: 27737 More actions · Answer 5

Haaico (7/13/2012)
I hate to say it but this is another one of those questions that is not quite clear enough. Is a processor core a logical processor or a processor?
The same article that is quoted to contain the answer mentions that on Windows Server 2008 R2 (what if it is installed on another OS?) SQL 2008 R2 DC can use a maximum of 64 processors or 256 logical processors.
So in this case I think both 64 and 256 should be accepted as correct.
Cheers.

There's a near-even split between the two answers, so you're not alone there!

Good point on the OS too.

I tend to read "core" as = "logical processor" automatically these days.

kapfundestanley SSCertifiable Points: 5637 More actions · Answer 6

Thank you for the point.Too easy.

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Rich Weissler Hall of Fame Points: 3286 More actions · Answer 7

So the correct answer is the Operating System limit.

Presumably, if I were to load SQL 2008 R2 Data Center Edition on Windows Server 2012... it would be able to use 640 logical processors?

Can I pick none of the above?

sknox SSChampion Points: 12388 More actions · Answer 8

Haaico (7/12/2012)
I hate to say it but this is another one of those questions that is not quite clear enough. Is a processor core a logical processor or a processor?
The same article that is quoted to contain the answer mentions that on Windows Server 2008 R2 (what if it is installed on another OS?) SQL 2008 R2 DC can use a maximum of 64 processors or 256 logical processors.
So in this case I think both 64 and 256 should be accepted as correct.
Cheers.

Core is a standard term. It refers to one or more distinct processing units within a CPU chip. If the question had used the term "processor" without qualification, you might have an argument. But you have to assume that core is used in a non-standard manner in order to choose 64.

Mike Is Here Hall of Fame Points: 3348 More actions · Answer 9

Rich Weissler (7/13/2012)
So the correct answer is the Operating System limit.
Presumably, if I were to load SQL 2008 R2 Data Center Edition on Windows Server 2012... it would be able to use 640 logical processors?
Can I pick none of the above?

Amen.

Sorry OP, not the best question

Luis Cazares SSC Guru Points: 183706 More actions · Answer 10

I believe that the correct answer to this question is the most popular answer in this community:

It depends.

Because it depends on the Operating System maximum.

Luis C.
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Nakul Vachhrajani SSChampion Points: 10294 More actions · Answer 11

A logical processor is not the same as a core. A core can have 1 or 2 logical processors. Reference: TechNet: Computing Capacity Limits by Edition of Microsoft SQL Server

The maximum supported number of logical processors by SQL Server 2008 R2 is 256 logical processors (which is a limit in-turn imposed by the operating system - Windows Server 2008 R2 Data Center edition - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/2008-r2-datacenter.aspx). Considering 2 logical processors/core, the correct answer is: 128 cores.

The proposed correct answer (256 cores) is therefore incorrect because the question is talking about cores, not logical processors. OS maximum is a valid answer in my humble opinion.

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Nakul Vachhrajani.
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Thomas Abraham SSChampion Points: 10761 More actions · Answer 12

Lynn Pettis (7/12/2012)
Although I got it correct, I think the true correct answer should have been Operating System Maximum. This would have taken the version of the OS out of the question.

I clicked to the question link, fully expecting Operating System Maximum to be one of the choices. As I don't know the limit for the operating system, I was forced to guess.

I had to guess, as I work for a smallish company. For us, the correct answer is: However big a server we can buy with the meager budget grudgingly given by the bean counters. Product limitations do not matter much when you're on a budget. 😉

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Sean Lange SSC Guru Points: 286590 More actions · Answer 13

The worst part of the ambiguous question and answer is that if you wanted to test knowledge about the OS max then the OS should be specified. The "correct" answer will be wrong when a newer version of Windows comes out and supports more than 256 cores. Too bad we have another interpretation question.

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