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Best Upgrade Path for MSSQL
Hi Guys,
Let me start off by saying that I recently started a new position and this is my first position where I've used a EMC SAN so I'm still learning/getting use to it. We are looking to Virtualize our Production MSSQL Server that is used for our ERP. Currently our vnx 5300 is used for our NAS, and our vmware environment.
We currently have a VNX 5300 and the main chasis is filled with 14 total disks, and we have one DAE that currently has two disks with 13 empty slots.
The current configuration is as follows:
NAS -> Storage Pool 1 - Raid 5 Disks on Bus 0 -> 12,11,13 Disks on Bus 1 -> 0,1 (These are 2TB 7.2k rpm NL-SAS Drives)
VMWare Environment -> Storage Pool 0 -> 2.1TB Raid 5 -> Disks are on Bus 0 -> 4,5,6,7,8 (These are 600GB 15krpm SAS Drives) This is used for our typical vmware servers.
Then we have a Raid Group 0 that is 1.4TB Capacity for our Exchange Server. All disks are on Bus 0 as well -> 0,1,2,3,9 (600GB 15krpm SAS Drives)
From reading it looks as if we want to create a Raid Group for our MSSQL Server, and I'd like to do a Raid 10. I had also thought about getting a couple SSD's to help out with the MSSQL load but I wasn't sure if you could use SSD's in a raid group or not, that maybe I read they would only work in a storage pool. Then I read that you do not want to use FAST Cache for the Log Luns (which would be part of the raid group) so should I put the logs in our general storage pool, or create a seperate raid group for the logs?
you could consider using a R10 pool for data files and traditional raid groups for logs, get a couple of SSD for Fast Cache so all of your pools could benefit from that technology (you can enable/disable Fast Cache on per pool basis)
Rainer_EMC
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Posted February 18th, 2013 08:00
Hi,
a typical starting point would be the white papers and reference architectures on Powerlink.
Yes, you can use flash drives both in traditional raidgroups and in pools.
What makes most sense depends on your size, I/O profile and workload.
For a smaller database it might make sense to just put in a couple of flash drives and use them in traditional raidgroups.
For raidgroup based LUNs you can turn on/off FAST Cache per LUN vs. the per-pool on pool based
Rainer
fore redo logs i would go with RAID10, they are pretty much all writes so less write penalty is a good thing.
For Fast Cache configuration best practices take a look at this primus: emc251589 . You are correct, when you configure Fast Cache it will use RAID1 underneath.
jstaggs
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Posted February 18th, 2013 07:00
Thanks for the quick answer Dynamox. This is what I was looking to accomplish - my last question would be what level of raid would you use for the raid group that you use for the logs?
When adding the SSD's I will have to add them to the DAC since there is no other slots available - I just want to install these in the first slot available correct? So in my case it would be Disk 2/3 etc. I know best pratice says to put them first but since everything is filled up thats all I got left
- You would setup the SSD's in Raid1 or when you enable fast cache does it take care of that automatically?
Sorry for all the questions but this should cover it!