SQL Server Performance Forum – Threads Archive
Proposed cluster solution
In addition to a new SAN implementation, because we’ve maxed out our processing power, we’re in the market for a new clustered database server. What are the group’s thoughts on the following server: HP ProLiant DL7408 Xeon 3GHz processors
8 GB RAM
4 146GB HDD’s ( of course there are 2 of the above since it’s a cluster)
Hi ya, this may be stating the obvious but have you ensured that the application is properly tuned? i.e. no blocking and no sql taking longer than say 100ms? what sort of user base/throughput do you have? Is this a dedicated SQL box? are the apps all oledb/odbc types or are there jdbc based apps? an 8-way box is serious power and serious money, are you sure that your current bottleneck is purely cpu or are there other factors? Cheers
Twan
Twan is right. The very first step is to ensure that your application is tuned as much as possible. Once that is done, and if you are still underpowered, then consider new hardware. 70-80% of performance issues are poorly written application code and queries, the rest is other stuff, including hardware. But in some cases, if you can’t control the code (you are using a third-party app you can’t change) then bigger is sometimes the only option. In regards to your hardware recommendation, I suggest you go with RAID 10, and as many smaller (not larger) drives as possible to boost disk I/O. —————————–
Brad M. McGehee, MVP
Webmaster
SQL-Server-Performance.Com
]]>