Hardware Theads Per Core?

[Patrick Ware_1]

Hello all,

I've been asked by a vendor to track down the following information:

Confirm number of hardware threads per core.


What are they referring to, and how do I find this info?

[Torsten.]

Not sure what is meant by

"Hardware Theads Per Core"

but a single CPU module can have up to 4 logical CPUs if hyperthreading is on.

PROCESSOR MODULE INFORMATION

# of L3 L4 Family/
CPU Logical Cache Cache Model Processor
Module CPUs Speed Size Size (hex.) Rev State
------ ------- -------- ------ ------ ------- --- ------------
0 4 1.66 GHz 9 MB None 20/01 A1 Active
1 4 1.66 GHz 9 MB None 20/01 A1 Active

CPU threads are turned on.
CPU pstates are turned on.

[Patrick Ware_1]

I'm not sure either. Maybe I can get even MORE clarification from the vendor.

[Dennis Handly]

Does the vendor want to charge you more money if it is more than one?
Basically whether hyperthreading helps or hurts, depends on your application.

[Patrick Ware_1]

The problem is I don't really know what it is they are asking me, or how to find the info. Can someone shed some light?

[Dennis Handly]

>I don't really know what it is they are asking me, or how to find the info.

Well, it would help if you could tell us what type of machine you have:
model
machinfo
uname -a
(In your previous threads you mentioned Integrity, where the question makes sense.)

[Duncan Edmonstone]

I think given your situation you are entitled to ask for some clarification from the vendor in question - whay do they need to know?

If this relates for instance to licensing for a software product, I personally wouldn't be very conmfortable paying a license per "hardware thread". Consider an example of a rx6600 with 4 Montvale 9100 IA64 processors (each processor is dual-core and each core has 2 hardware threads) - Most ISVs are moving to a model of licensing 'per socket' (so for the rx6600 you would need to buy 4 licenses), whilst some hold on to licensing 'per core' (so for the rx6600 that would be 8 licenses). I've never heard of an ISV licensing 'per hardware thread' - on my rx6600 example, this would be 16 licenses!

On HP-UX this is further complicated by the fact that only 11iv3 supports hyperthreading, so this same system running 11iv2 would see only 8 hardware threads. Someone has already mentioned that not all applications benefit from having hyperthreading enabled.

Seek clarification before answering the question.

HTH

Duncan

[Rasheed Tamton]

Hi,

I think the vendor might be more familiar with Solaris/Linux and Microsoft. SUN (Niagara on T1000), AMD/INTEL (Opteron/Xeon) has these kind of thread per core technology.

Checking more on SUN T1000 might give an idea why the vendor asks these kind of questions.

[Patrick Ware_1]

Rasheed,

I agree with that. No one has been able to answer this question at all, in the office, or on the app team. The Project Manager has deferred the question..