Samba 3 runs rings around Windows Server 2003 in file serving performance

test results - http://www.itweek.co.uk/ITWeek/itw_graph_1144289.jsp

Samba beats Windows
By Roger Howorth [13-10-2003]
Samba 3 runs rings around Windows Server 2003 in file serving performance


Tests by IT Week Labs show the latest version of the open-source Samba file
and print server software is 2.5 times faster than Windows Server 2003 in
the same role.

The news comes as many firms are grappling with the consequences of
Microsoft ending support for NT4, coupled with uncertainty about when
Microsoft will next update Windows. The performance difference between
Windows Server 2003 and Samba 3 has increased dramatically compared with
Samba 2 and Windows 2000 Server.

Samba provides file and print services to Windows PCs. It enables a Linux or
Unix server to work as a file server for client PCs running Windows
software. The new version also introduces support for Microsoft's Active
Directory for allocating and controlling user access rights.

Samba 3's scalability is as impressive as its performance. While Windows
performance scales up well initially, it then drops off quickly as more
clients access the server. In contrast, Samba 3 offered excellent throughput
up to the limit of our test, conducted on a low-spec Intel server.

Consequently, firms could save money on licence fees, and on hardware, by
using Samba instead of Windows servers. IT consultant Alan Munday, who
recommends Samba to his clients, said the resulting saving was a key
consideration for firms.

Munday is already using version 3 at some smaller sites. However, he was
dismissive of Active Directory. "I'm not [interested in the new Active
Directory features] because the primary focus for my smaller clients is to
migrate away from their ageing NT servers."

Jtyc
Tue Nov 04 16:34:58 CST 2003

> Samba 3 runs rings around Windows Server 2003 in file serving performance

http://www.atvnews.com/output.cfm?id=182071

Sport Quad Showdown
Eight Top Sport Quads Compete In Our 2003 Trials

Staff Report
ATV News
Wednesday April 2, 2003


For our 2003 ATV Trials, we gathered all the major manufacturers and their
machines to do several shootouts over a two-day testing period. Then we
recruited seven of our top test riders to put these sport machines through
their paces in the tough terrain in SoCal's Hungry Valley State Vehicular
Recreation Area.

Let's meet the players: Bombardier DS650, Cannondale Cannibal 440, Honda
Sportrax 400EX, Kawasaki KFX400, Polaris Predator, Suzuki Z400, plus the
Yamaha 660R Raptor and Banshee. We'll break down this comparison into four
categories: engine, chassis, handling, plus comfort and controls.

Engine »
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Though the majority of our test riders felt the Bombardier DS650 lacked
bottom-end power and ranked its overall power as average, it swept our
radar-run categories on the smooth and soft acceleration course. The DS was
the quickest from 0 to 30 mph, just edging the Yamaha Raptor. From zero, the
Bomb took less than 6.5 seconds to hit 45 mph, the fastest to that speed.
Even its mid-range acceleration figures - from 20 to 40 mph - bettered
everyone. The DS650's aggressive power matches its large size and unique
chassis and handling characteristics. Our evaluation crew understands the
DS650 is the fastest and quickest quad, but a few things (touchy gearbox,
short rev limiter, stiff clutch, loud vibrating engine) hurt the feel of its
power.

If the DS650 was the biggest surprise, engine wise, then the Cannondale
Cannibal was the easiest to predict. Most test riders rated it as the best
overall power package. All the test riders described the Cannibal as a speed
demon - diminished by a quirky drivetrain noise, loud revving motor, and a
slight vibration. The engine dictates that this quad be ridden fast. It wasn
't the quickest quad off the line (ranked mid-pack from 0 to 30 mph), but it
used its hearty mid-range power to notch the second-quickest time to 45 mph.
Seat-of-the-pants feel? The Cannondale is one of the fastest stock quads we'
ve ever tested. Most testers said, to get the best out of it, they needed to
ride it faster and harder than they anticipated. It's an aggressive ATV for
experienced riders only. The Cannibal's Carlisle Trail Wolf tires were a
nice surprise, adding to its power package.

ATV News
Cannondale Cannibal

Our Stalker radar system placed the Polaris Predator and Yamaha Raptor in
the top four for acceleration. Acceleration numbers don't tell the whole
story about an ATV's engine and its power. Our test riders were mixed with
their "scoring" of these two quads. Though they ranked clos