Home > Workload Solutions > SQL Server > Best Practices > Intel-Based SQL Server Best Practices on Dell PowerEdge R740 and PowerMax 2000 > CPU Best Practices > PowerEdge R740: Enabling Processor x2APIC Support
By default, Intel’s Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (x2APIC) BIOS setting was disabled on the PowerEdge R740 server. In this best practice, we enable the x2APIC setting to evaluate the impact on performance.
Category | PowerEdge |
Product | PowerEdge R740 server |
Type of best practice | Performance Optimization |
Day and value | Day 3, Fine Tuning |
Overview
The x2APIC is designed to improve efficiency in multiprocessor computer systems. An interrupt is a request by the software for the processor to respond to an event. For example, an operating system requests that the processor suspend current activities, if this request is accepted by the processor the state of the current activities is saved and the new request is processed.
The x2APIC is Intel’s most recent and advanced programmable interrupt controller. Enhancements to x2APIC include support for more processors and improved performance. The PowerEdge R740 used for testing best practices had two Intel Xeon Gold 6254 processors each with 18 cores, for a total of 36 cores in the server. In addition, VMware vSphere 7.0 was used to virtualize the SQL Server databases. Enabling x2APIC should enable efficiencies for the PowerEdge multi-processor system and optimize interrupt management of virtual machines.
Recommendation
The results from enabling x2APIC showed slight performance improvements in the following performance metrics:
The following performance metrics remained the same showing no gains with x2APIC enabled:
NOPM and TPM are metrics from the TPC-C benchmark that indicate performance. If NOPM and TPM increase when compared to the prior test this suggests the best practice improved performance.
Batch requests per second in a counter that indicates the number of Transact-SQL command batches received by the database per second. The higher the value of batch requests per second means improved data throughput. In testing x2APIC results show a slightly increased number of batch request per second.
Overall server CPU utilization did show a very slight increase.
Test results show a no increase in server CPU utilization. In the case of overall IOPS, test findings showed no change.
Overall, the best practice of enabling the x2APIC in BIOS can provide a minor improvement in system performance. Enabling x2APIC is a Day 3, Fine Tuning recommendation with these considerations:
Implementation Steps
To enable the x2APIC BIOS setting, log in to iDRAC and do the following:
Additional Resources
Setting up BIOS on 14th Generation (14G) Dell EMC PowerEdge Server