mcclnx mcc wrote:
> we plan to setup our ORACLE database server (32 bits DB) and use dell
> r900 server. This server can put up to 128GB RAM.
>
> We are thinking use 32 bits CENTOS 4.7 or 5.2. My concern about
> CENTOS 5.2 is it only support up to 16 GB RAM on 32 bits O.S.
>
> Any suggestion?
To get beyond 4 GB of RAM with a 32-bit Intel CPU, you have to turn on
PAE mode, which is a very ugly hack, invented several years ago now. It
dates back to the old Pentium Pro! It was created before inexpensive
64-bit CPUs were available. Systems being built today should not use
PAE mode, IMHO. If you need more than 4 GB of RAM today, use a 64-bit
OS and applications. That will let you address the full memory
capability of that server.
In PAE mode, the system runs a little slower due to the extra overhead
of the more complicated memory management scheme, and it can't really
address that 16 GB all at once. It's kind of a like the old DOS days
when we had 32-bit CPUs but could only address 64 KB of memory at a
time, and could only access 640 KB without resorting to PAE-like hacks
called EMS and XMS. These workarounds are best consigned to the dustbin
of history.
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