All,
I would just like to announce to you all as a hosted site of ours, that tonight we have completed an upgrade to our mainframe computer that hosts this site. This upgrade doesn't change or otherwise alter the functionality of this site, but it does bring increased performance and reliability. Too, it helps to remove the issue of those mid-afternoon through to the late evening slowdowns or time-outs that we know many of you were having.
What happened in this upgrade was we got donated some hardware, enough to create a new module for our mainframe (The X9 Computer Core - Extensible Computer System X9CC-ECS, a system built originally in 2001). This module is what is called an "Auxiliary Compute Processor Module" or ACPM for short. This brings the X9 up to the following specs:
CPU: 1x3 Ghz x86, 1024 MBytes Main system memory
ACPM: 2x1.6 Ghz AMD64, 2048 MBytes dedicated memory
ADPM1: 2x450 Mhz x86, 384 MBytes dedicated memory
ADPM2: 1x450 Mhz x86, 256 MBytes dedicated memory
SYSTEM TOTAL: 6 Processors (mixed architecture), 3712 MBytes system-wide memory
We are also hoping to eventually upgrade our ADP (Auxiliary Data Processor) Modules' memory in the coming weeks as well, We are looking possibly at ADPM1 receiving an upgrade to 1024 MBytes (1 GB) if all goes as planned and for further (currently unknown upgrade) to ADPM2.
For some explanation on the various processor classes on the X9:
CPU - This is like on a desktop/laptop or server, the processor that coordinates system resources and is the center of the system. (Think: Foreman in a factory)
ACP - This processor typically is charged with high load computing tasks or otherwise tasks that would clog the CPU, the CPU offloads certain kinds of tasks to this type of processor. Often times results of these tasks will be reported directly back to the CPU upon completion. (Think: a special run worker on the factory floor)
ADP - These types of processors are used for accessing disk arrays and as well transaction-based number crunching (e.g. request comes in from some service, CPU allocates it to an ADP, ADP does the task and stores the result to a hard disk) (Think: a production line worker)
Anyways, we hope that these upgrades will be able to allow us to better service you under our continuing for the public good mandate. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to let me know in the reply section or by private message either here or on IRC.
Thank you,
K. Xeron
Executive Director, Digibase Operations
