How to go about building new reliable SQL Server ?

• Oracle_91

  SSChampion

  Points: 14548

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  April 3, 2014 at 6:24 am

  #306051

  Hi Everyone,

  I need help on this.

  Basically I am looking for typical questionnaire which can be asked to customers/clients when they reach out to a DBA for building new SQL Servers in there environment?

  For instance, client doesn't know how much storage is required for their hosting their db's? (may be how much data they are expecting in next 2 - 3 years )

  - What storage is recommended for SQL server for good performance? (SAN/NAS/DAS)

  - How much RAM is needed?

  - How much CPU power is needed?

  - Physical / Virtual machine ?

  - What Edition to be chosen ? (based on features or high availability technologies that they want to implement)

  - How many databases they are hosting on that each sql server instance?

  - How many users we will be accessing the database server ? How much load is expected on the server?

  - Are they wanted to install other components like SSIS/SSRS/SSAS?

  Bottom line , I want to to know what relevant questions should be asked to the clients/business/Application team when they reach out to DBA to build a new servers and expecting for recommendations from an Accidental DBA. Many times, I have seen customers setup a conference call and everyone falls on DBA for recommendations and solutions. Basically, what I observed is that, nobody wants to take the blame or ownership and so they want to push everything on DBA's saying you are the database expert and you need to accomplish this.

  My point here is, as a DBA I am here to help my customers and to be a trusted advisor but having said that, when it comes to an Accidental DBA when he is slowing learning the things and he is has no idea about customer environment and new to organization, how can we get handle such situations by asking GOOD questions back to the business and make them realize it is everyone's responsibility as whole to have a "new reliable production sql server" in place and accordingly involving/looping respective teams (for instance storage,network, manager's, client's, end- users ...) to take part in this activity and its not the DBA alone is responsible for everything!

  Looking forward for some honest answers/suggestions. Any checklist you can share will be a great help and much appreciated.

  Also, if anyone can such experiences in handling such situations would be great help.

  Thanks in advance.