Update 4/30/2006: Pre R2 versions of Windows 2003 x64 Standard Edition support quad processor machines....but NOT symmetric processing of the four processors. This means it fills the first one up all the way and then goes to the 2nd and so on, which is very inefficient. The server was upgraded to R2 and now evenly distributes the load across all 4 processors.
Description: The SQL Server was upgraded from 2 processors to the most top of the line 4 processor machine that Dell sells. However performance has not improved proportionately.
There is some question as to whether 2 of the 4 CPUs of the new SQL Server are being used properly. As a result, we may only be getting half the performance we could be.
Technical details: On some areas of Microsoft's site, it says that the version of Windows 2003 on the server (Windows Server x64 Standard Edition SP1) supports 4 processors...but on others it says that it does not an must be upgraded to Windows Server x64 Standard Edition R2. The server itself is equally contradictory...it seems to detect all 4 processors in task manager, but on the "computer properties" only identifies 2 of them. A Microsoft rep recommended that we upgrade to R2 to resolve the ambiguity.
So the server is going to be upgraded to R2 to see if this will utilize the 3rd and 4th processor better or not. An order to Dell has been placed for new R2 licenese and this upgrade will be done the night it is received (hopefully Tuesday night) from 8pm-1am.
4/25/2006: Update: Microsoft is double checking to make sure R2 will truly fix this, and will hopefully be getting back to us tomorrow (Wednesday).