Python speed on Solaris 10

[Chris Miles]

I have found that the sunfreeware.com build of Python 2.4.3 for Solaris
10 is faster than one I can build myself, on the same system.
sunfreeware.com doesn't bother showing the options they used to
configure and build the software, so does anyone know what the optimal
build options are for Solaris 10 (x86)?

Here are some pybench/pystone results, and I include the same comparison
of Python2.4.3 running on CentOS 4.3 on the same hardware (which is what
prompted me to find a faster Python build in the first place).

Python 2.4.3:
System pybench Pystone (pystones/s)
--------------------------------------------------------
Sol10 my build 3836.00 ms 37313.4
Sol10 sunfreeware 3235.00 ms 43859.6
CentOS 3569.00 ms 44247.8


My build:
Python 2.4.3 (#1, Oct 15 2006, 16:00:33)
[GCC 3.4.3 (csl-sol210-3_4-branch+sol_rpath)] on sunos5

sunfreeware.com build:
Python 2.4.3 (#1, Jul 31 2006, 05:14:51)
[GCC 3.4.6] on sunos5

My build on CentOS 4.3:
Python 2.4.3 (#1, Jul 19 2006, 17:52:43)
[GCC 3.4.5 20051201 (Red Hat 3.4.5-2)] on linux2


is the difference purely gcc minor version?

 

[casevh]

I have found that the sunfreeware.com build of Python 2.4.3 for Solaris
10 is faster than one I can build myself, on the same system.
sunfreeware.com doesn't bother showing the options they used to
configure and build the software, so does anyone know what the optimal
build options are for Solaris 10 (x86)?

Here are some pybench/pystone results, and I include the same comparison
of Python2.4.3 running on CentOS 4.3 on the same hardware (which is what
prompted me to find a faster Python build in the first place).

Python 2.4.3:
System pybench Pystone (pystones/s)
--------------------------------------------------------
Sol10 my build 3836.00 ms 37313.4
Sol10 sunfreeware 3235.00 ms 43859.6
CentOS 3569.00 ms 44247.8


My build:
Python 2.4.3 (#1, Oct 15 2006, 16:00:33)
[GCC 3.4.3 (csl-sol210-3_4-branch+sol_rpath)] on sunos5

sunfreeware.com build:
Python 2.4.3 (#1, Jul 31 2006, 05:14:51)
[GCC 3.4.6] on sunos5

My build on CentOS 4.3:
Python 2.4.3 (#1, Jul 19 2006, 17:52:43)
[GCC 3.4.5 20051201 (Red Hat 3.4.5-2)] on linux2


is the difference purely gcc minor version?

I noticed that speed difference, too. After running ./configure, I
edited the resulting Makefile to pass "-march=athlon-mp" to the C
compiler. ./configure seems to ignore CFLAGS, for example, so I just
edited Makefile to suit my environment. You should set the values
appropriate for you system, of course.

I've also compiled Python using the Sun Studio compiler. Some tests
were faster, some tests were slower.

casevh
--

 

[Chris Miles]

Since my post I have compiled Python 2.4.3 with Sun Studio 11 with
"-fast" option (on Solaris 10) which has produced the fastest version of
Python I've been able to test on this hardware, including the CentOS
Linux version (which I'm pleased about).

I haven't looked into more optimal gcc build options yet, so that may
produce a faster build, but I am probably satisfied with what Sun Studio
has given me for now.

Cheers,
Chris