Does anyone know the maximum number of CPU's that any version of SQL 7
(i.e. Std or Enterprise) can use on any version of Win 2K (i.e.
Server, Adv Server, or DataCenter)?

We are constrained by our app to stay with SQL 7. We run with 4 CPU's
now and wonder if we can move to an 8-CPU box.

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I'm sure you *can move* to an 8-CPU box. The DBMS will continue to run.
If the question is 'will we see any DBMS performance gain?', then better experts
will chip in too, but I would not expect linear performance benefits, based on the
combinatoric increase in the amount of synchronization needed between the
CPUs when operating on the same DBMS. It also depends on your user profile.
Optimally, if you had 8 heavyweight external clients to the DBMS, all using different
database contexts, you might get a good deal of improvement. Pessimally, if you
have only one heavyweight client, or lots of them running on the same box as the
DBMS, you might not see as much improvement.
Joe Weinstein at BEA

I am interested in what is possible first, then knowing what is
possible, we can consider what is wise.

For example, SQL 7.0 Std is limited to 4 CPUs for all 3 windows server
versions (Data Center, Adv Server, and Server) and for NT server, but
can use 8 CPUs with NT Enterprise. SQL 7.0 Enterprise can use 8 and 4
CPUs on on NT Enterprise and NT Server, respectively. I have no
references for SQL 7 Ent and Win2K. One might infer that SQL7 Ent and
Win 2K Adv Server should be able to use 8 CPUs, but I don't have any
evidence this is possible.



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