SCP Engine Performance - # of SCP Applications

The SCP Engine has a hard limit of 40 SCPs. Only one SCP Engine is allowed per computer; therefore, one computer can run a maximum of 40 SCPs regulated by one SCP Engine. This can be a mixture of all supported types (CP270s, CP280s, etc.).

Based on experience, a modern computer can run about 20 CP270s before simulation degradation occurs. This is a rule of thumb.

The physical CP280 has about 5 times the memory of a physical CP270; therefore, the number of CP280s that can be run on a modern computer is significantly less than a CP270 – everything else being equal. The loading of the individual SCP greatly affects how many SCPs can be run on a given machine.

For example, suppose a customer upgrades their hardware and replaces one-for-one their CP40s with CP280s. The CP40 is smaller than the CP280 (1.3 MB vs. 15.75 MB); therefore, a fully loaded CP40 may become a lightly loaded CP280. In the simulated world, one machine could run a large number of lightly loaded CP280s.

Alternatively, a machine with heavily loaded CP280s may only run 4 or 5 before simulation degradation occurs.

For more information see SCP Application Size Limitation in this document.