To get optimal performance from your Security Center servers, it is recommended to opt for maximum performance over energy savings when configuring your BIOS settings.
- Many new servers include BIOS features that allow you to favor energy savings over performance. This type of tradeoff is not recommended for Security Center servers, because maximum performance is always required. In the BIOS, make sure that the power-saving options are set to High-performance mode, if this option is available.
- When you are using RAID arrays for storage, you can configure them in the BIOS in Write-Back mode. When the cache Write-Back is enabled, it immediately confirms completion to the host, something that it does not do when Write-Back is disabled (Write-Through Mode). The Write-Back cache mode does save a big percentage of disk drive latency time and provides a much better write performance in most situations, compared to the Write-Through mode (Write-Back disabled).
- Boot options are available from the BIOS and it is recommended that they be optimized for performance. It is also recommended to turn off the USB boot, to use a Rapid boot option (if available), and to disable PXE, which allows you to boot from a server on the network.
For detailed information about how to modify these settings, see the documentation provided by your BIOS or controller manufacturer.