Effective specification of a new SQL server hardware requirements

  • Hi again,

    When asking your support guys for a new SQL box - how do you come to the decisions you do on processors and memory?

    I have always asked for a best practise disk and raid setup but have always just asked for as much memory as poss and not provided specifics and proof. Same with processors. Do you get heavily involved in this? And what criteria and logging do you use to decide on the best fit?

    Do you bother much with page file requests (or assume your sql box will hopefully not be using it)?

  • The questions are very common and everything depends on your situation. There is a range of best practices white papers available for this topic.

    "how do you come to the decisions you do on processors and memory?"

    You need to come up some "best estimate" data or a similar system to begin with. The requirement for these resources really depends on the specific applications the database server supports. For example, size of the database, number of possible user sessions, type of application (OLTP or OLAP), etc. If you have a database system supporting a similar application in your shop, the configuration of the system can be referenced when making a decision.

    "I have always asked for a best practise disk and raid setup but have always just asked for as much memory as poss and not provided specifics and proof. Same with processors. Do you get heavily involved in this? And what criteria and logging do you use to decide on the best fit?"

    For a VLDB system, it is important to followed up the "best practices" in disk configuration and database file layout. Proper configuration in these area is beneficial for performance, availability, scalability, and manageability during the entire life span of the database system. As CPUs concerned, this really depends on the computer power the applications needs, which can be figured out on the test environment.

    "Do you bother much with page file requests (or assume your sql box will hopefully not be using it)?"

    You should watch out it. This relates to memory availability. If you have sufficient memory, you are unlikely seeing a lot of it. Otherwise, you may want to review if the system has inadequate memory available.

  • dbychen (3/8/2010)


    The questions are very common and everything depends on your situation. There is a range of best practices white papers available for this topic.

    "how do you come to the decisions you do on processors and memory?"

    You need to come up some "best estimate" data or a similar system to begin with. The requirement for these resources really depends on the specific applications the database server supports. For example, size of the database, number of possible user sessions, type of application (OLTP or OLAP), etc. If you have a database system supporting a similar application in your shop, the configuration of the system can be referenced when making a decision.

    "I have always asked for a best practise disk and raid setup but have always just asked for as much memory as poss and not provided specifics and proof. Same with processors. Do you get heavily involved in this? And what criteria and logging do you use to decide on the best fit?"

    For a VLDB system, it is important to followed up the "best practices" in disk configuration and database file layout. Proper configuration in these area is beneficial for performance, availability, scalability, and manageability during the entire life span of the database system. As CPUs concerned, this really depends on the computer power the applications needs, which can be figured out on the test environment.

    Agreed.

    Based on your data and usage; raid setup, memory and cpu will be different.

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
    Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
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