I run a Windows XP virtual machine (VMWare) that was living on a three-year-old Dell 2950 server with dual Xeons, six gigs of RAM, and Windows Server 2003.
I say WAS.
That machine was a dog. It was as slow as a GX1 with a 350 MHz processor that I once had. It was driving me nuts to see its processor pegged at 100% for a full minute every time I switched websites in Dreamweaver. It has a gig of fully-VMWare-dedicated RAM, BTW.
The server, FWIW, runs ONLY VMWare. No other applications at all, except for McAfee in the background and periodically scanning.
And VMWare is running a total of TWO machines. Mine, and a utility machine running scheduled Access queries to keep databases of various flavors updated through the magic of linked tables.
So I suggested reformatting it and installing CentOS5, along with the Linux flavor of VMWare.
Good idea, said the powers that be, but we'll need to temporarily move those machines over to a new home. No prob, said I, I have a two-year old Dell GX620 with dual core Intel power and three gigs of RAM just sittin' around. I'll stick CentOS on there and make sure it and VMWare get along.
Well, the results were quite enlightening.
My machine is running approximately twice as fast on this temporary desktop server.
The only explanation I have is that Windows Server adds a horrific amount of unnecessary overhead.
Next, I begin the process of rebuilding the 2950 hoss. Stay tuned for the results.
