This document provides an overview of advanced SQL Server techniques and best practices when running SQL Server in a virtualized environment on vSphere. It covers topics such as storage configuration including VMFS, block alignment, and I/O profiling. Networking techniques like jumbo frames and guest tuning are discussed. The document also reviews memory management and optimization, CPU sizing considerations, workload consolidation strategies, and high availability options for SQL Server on vSphere.
Right-Sizing your SQL Server Virtual Machineheraflux
Virtualizing your top-tier production SQL Servers is not as easy as P2V’ing it. Sometimes allocating more resources to the VM is the wrong approach, and getting it wrong will silently hurt performance. What is the most effective method for determining the ‘right’ amount of resources to allocate? What happens if the workload changes a month from now?
The methods for understanding the performance of your mission-critical SQL Servers gathered over the past ten years of SQL Server virtualization will be addressed, and valuable processes for performance statistic collection and analysis will be displayed. Come learn how to properly ‘right-size’ the resources allocated to a VM, improve the performance of your SQL Servers, and keep it maximized well into the future.
Scaling Up and Out your Virtualized SQL Serversheraflux
Scaling up a single SQL Server instance can be tough. Scaling up hundreds or thousands is tougher. Now virtualize them all. Whew! But… does it have to be harder when virtualized? Could it be easier than when physical? This session will explore the use of virtualization technologies to help augment and improve SQL Server’s native capabilities to help you better scale up for a single intense workload and scale out for many such workloads in the same environment. Come learn valuable tips and tricks that you can bring back to your organization on topics such as workload characteristic analysis, horizontal versus vertical scalability, common pitfalls and ways around them, performance optimization, VM sizing, and more!
Session source: IT/Dev Connections conference, 8/2014
Right-Sizing your SQL Server Virtual Machineheraflux
Virtualizing your top-tier production SQL Servers is not as easy as P2V’ing it. Sometimes allocating more resources to the VM is the wrong approach, and getting it wrong will silently hurt performance. What is the most effective method for determining the ‘right’ amount of resources to allocate? What happens if the workload changes a month from now?
The methods for understanding the performance of your mission-critical SQL Servers gathered over the past ten years of SQL Server virtualization will be addressed, and valuable processes for performance statistic collection and analysis will be displayed. Come learn how to properly ‘right-size’ the resources allocated to a VM, improve the performance of your SQL Servers, and keep it maximized well into the future.
Scaling Up and Out your Virtualized SQL Serversheraflux
Scaling up a single SQL Server instance can be tough. Scaling up hundreds or thousands is tougher. Now virtualize them all. Whew! But… does it have to be harder when virtualized? Could it be easier than when physical? This session will explore the use of virtualization technologies to help augment and improve SQL Server’s native capabilities to help you better scale up for a single intense workload and scale out for many such workloads in the same environment. Come learn valuable tips and tricks that you can bring back to your organization on topics such as workload characteristic analysis, horizontal versus vertical scalability, common pitfalls and ways around them, performance optimization, VM sizing, and more!
Session source: IT/Dev Connections conference, 8/2014
Five common customer use cases for Virtual SAN - VMworld US / 2015Duncan Epping
This session was presented by Lee Dilworth and Duncan Epping at VMworld in the US in 2015. Five common customer use cases of the last 12-18 months are discussed in this deck.
VMworld 2013: Lowering TCO for Virtual Desktops with VMware View and VMware V...VMworld
VMworld 2013
Jad Chamcham, VMware
Narasimha Krishnakumar, VMware, view, vsan, tco
Learn more about VMworld and register at http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa?src=socmed-vmworld-slideshare
What is coming for VMware vSphere?
Delivered at VMUG DK/UK/BE in November 2014. Session is all about vSphere futures, what can be expected in the near future.
Five common customer use cases for Virtual SAN - VMworld US / 2015Duncan Epping
This session was presented by Lee Dilworth and Duncan Epping at VMworld in the US in 2015. Five common customer use cases of the last 12-18 months are discussed in this deck.
VMworld 2013: Lowering TCO for Virtual Desktops with VMware View and VMware V...VMworld
VMworld 2013
Jad Chamcham, VMware
Narasimha Krishnakumar, VMware, view, vsan, tco
Learn more about VMworld and register at http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa?src=socmed-vmworld-slideshare
What is coming for VMware vSphere?
Delivered at VMUG DK/UK/BE in November 2014. Session is all about vSphere futures, what can be expected in the near future.
Make your storage work for you: VAAI and ODX offload up to 30% of disk operat...StarWind Software
Hypervisor CPU and Networking overhead is a common issue for operations like VM provisioning, migration, and cloning. There should be a way to enhance performance by offloading the unnecessary CPU load and shrinking the SAN traffic. ODX and VAAI features do exactly this by offloading routine disk tasks to the storage array so they will be executed more effectively.
Architectural designs driving sql server performance and high availabilitySumeet Bansal
DBAs are often asked to design database infrastructure for new applications or upgrade existing systems. Therefore, they must have a keen understanding of the application’s requirements, operational environment, and infrastructure so they can recommend the best approach.
In this session, you’ll learn about the latest advancements in storage technology, the various ways flash can be deployed (flash caching, server-side PCIe flash, hybrid, and all-flash), and the pros and cons for each. We’ll also discuss how a well-designed infrastructure can drive efficiencies and help your organization save on licensing and maintenance costs.
Critical SQL Server Databases: Provide HA with SQL Server Failover Clustering...StarWind Software
Highly-Available SQL Server with reliable Disaster Recovery is traditionally hard to achieve but necessary to have. We say it is possible to build a fully redundant SQL Server 2014 cluster with just 2 servers, StarWind Virtual SAN and Cluster Shared Volumes while implementing disaster recovery to several places with minimal RTO and RPO!
SQL Server High Availability Solutions (Pros & Cons)Hamid J. Fard
Proper SQL Server High Availability Solution Is Highly Depends on the Business Objective and IT Operation Objectives. It Happens Sometimes that We Might Have Few Solutions on the Table to Implement.
In this practical and script-focused session, Presenter William Assaf discusses best practices regarding SQL Server administration, maintenance, optimizations and monitoring using Dynamic Management Views. DMV's are essential tools for the SQL administrator, but have a wide range of applications by developers, network engineers and DBAs.
VMworld 2015: Advanced SQL Server on vSphereVMworld
Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most widely deployed “apps” in the market today and is used as the database layer for a myriad of applications, ranging from departmental content repositories to large enterprise OLTP systems. Typical SQL Server workloads are somewhat trivial to virtualize; however, business critical SQL Servers require careful planning to satisfy performance, high availability, and disaster recovery requirements. It is the design of these business critical databases that will be the focus of this breakout session. You will learn how build high-performance SQL Server virtual machines through proper resource allocation, database file management, and use of all-flash storage like XtremIO. You will also learn how to protect these critical systems using a combination of SQL Server and vSphere high availability features. For example, did you know you can vMotion shared-disk Windows Failover Cluster nodes? You can in vSphere 6! Finally, you will learn techniques for rapid deployment, backup, and recovery of SQL Server virtual machines using an all-flash array.
Symantec ApplicationHA, Symantec’s high availability solution for VMware virtual environments, provides customers the ability to confidently virtualize their business critical applications. The latest version of Symantec ApplicationHA extends the existing capabilities for disaster recovery with VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager integration and provides a dashboard to monitor and manage hundreds of applications within VMware vCenter Server.
Who is to blame? SharePoint? SQL? For many admins, SharePoint is the biggest and most important SQL Server application they manage. But how? In this session, we give an overview on planning, installation and management of SQL Server for SharePoint. We also explain how SharePoint uses SQL and cover best practices from the SharePoint and SQL CAT teams.
Cisco® Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) is an innovative architecture that radically simplifies, optimizes, and accelerates the entire application deployment lifecycle. Cloud, mobility, and big data applications are causing a shift in the data center model. Cisco ACI redefines the power of IT, enabling IT to be more responsive to changing business and application needs, enhancing agility, and adding business value. Cisco ACI delivers a transformational operating model for next-generation data center and cloud applications. This Cisco ACI hands lab will step you through from the ACI Fabric concepts to deployment. • Cisco ACI Overview • ACI Fabric Discovery • ACI Building Basic Network Constructs • ACI Building Policy Filters and Contracts • : Deploying a 3-Tier Application Network Profile • ACI Integrating with VMware • Deploying a Service Graph with Application Network Profile • Exploring Monitoring and Troubleshooting
Where to start? - the first 2 hours of performance troubleshooting
• The performance cheat sheet: cover all the basics before you start
• Data collections and mining the logs
• Common techniques to improve performance
Whats new in Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Clustering and StorageJohn Moran
In this webinar we will learn what the High Availability & Storage team in Microsoft has cooked up for us in Windows Server 2016, which is being launched at Microsoft Ignite at the end of September.
There’s lots of new stuff in this release, including better high availability for Hyper-V, greater control over resource utilization, improved fault tolerance of transient events, newer design options for stretch or multi-site clusters, a whole new way of doing software defined storage with SATA and NVMe drives, built-in block-level storage replication, and hyper-convergence without having to break the bank.
VMworld 2013: Extreme Performance Series: Storage in a Flash VMworld
VMworld 2013
Sankaran Sivathanu, VMware
Mark Achtemichuk, VMware
Learn more about VMworld and register at http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa?src=socmed-vmworld-slideshare
Windows Server 2012 Deep-Dive - EPC GroupEPC Group
Windows Server 2012 Deep-Dive - EPC Group
Web: www.epcgroup.net | E-mail: contact@epcgroup.net | Phone: (888) 381-9725 | Twitter: @epcgroup
* SharePoint Server 2013, Office 365, Windows Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), SharePoint Server 2010 & SharePoint 2007: Review, Architecture Development, Planning, Configuration & Implementations, Upgrades, Global Initiatives, Training, and Post Go-live Support with Extensive Knowledge Transfer | Custom Branding and Responsive Web Design (RWD)
* Health Check & Assessments (Roadmap Preparation to Upgrade to 2013 or 2010) - Including Custom Code & Solution Review
* Enterprise Content Management Systems based on Microsoft SharePoint 2013, Office 365 Hybrid Cloud (Both On-premises and cloud)
* Enterprise Metadata Design, Taxonomy | Retention Schedule Dev | Disposition Workflow, and Records Management | eDiscovery | Microsoft Exchange 2013 Migration \ Integration | Roadmap, Requirements Gathering, Planning, Designing & Performing the Actual Implementation
* Best Practices Consulting on SharePoint 2013, Office 365, SharePoint 2010, 2007 | EPC Group has completed over 900+ initiatives
* Intranet, Knowledge Management, Internet & Extranet-Facing as Well as Mobility (BYOD Roadmap), Cloud, Hybrid, and Cross-Browser | Cross-Platform Solutions for SharePoint 2013 with Proven Past-performance
*Upgrades or Migrations of Existing Deployments or Other LOB Systems (Documentum, LiveLink, FileNet, SAP, etc.)
* Custom Apps, Custom Application Development, Custom Feature, Master Pages, Web Parts, Security Model, Usability (UI) & Workflow Development (Visual Studio 2012, Visual Studio 2013)
* Migration Initiatives to SharePoint 2013 \ Office 365 and those organizations with both on-premises and cloud assets for a SharePoint Hybrid Architecture and Deployment
* Key Performance Indicators, Dashboard & Business Intelligence Reporting Solutions (PerformancePoint 2013, SQL Server 2012 R2, SQL Server 2014, BI, KPIs, PowerPivot, Scorecards, Big Data) and Power BI
* Experts in Global \ Enterprise Infrastructure, Security, Hardware Configuration & Disaster Recovery (Global performance considerations)
* Tailored SharePoint "in the trenches" Training on SharePoint 2013, 2010, 2007 + Office 365
* Support Contracts (Ongoing Support your Organization's 2013, 2010, or 2007 Implementations)
* .NET Development, Custom applications, BizTalk Server experts
* Project Server 2013, 2010, and 2007 Implementations
* SharePoint Roadmap & Governance Development: 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months (Steering Committee & Code Review Board Development)
* EPC Group's HybridCloudAdvisor.com - Navigating the Ever Changing World of the Hybrid Cloud to include SLA development & consulting services | advisory | best practices around PaaS, IaaS, SaaS, VDI, Windows Azure, AWS as well as security, compliance & and regulatory issues facing cloud and Hybrid Cloud deployments throughout the globe.
* Corporate Change Management & End User
Not content to simply describe the Virtual Volume (VVOL) framework, this session instead examines practical use cases: How different configurations and workloads benefit from VVOLs. Learn how Storage Policy Based Management (SPBM) couples with VVOLs to provide VM configuration options not previously available. We demonstrate a handful of real-life scenarios, specifically covering how VVOLs benefits oversubscribed systems, disaster recovery preparation and multi-tenant requirements for customers. Specific configuration options and constraints are covered in detail, including how they work with underlying storage.
VMworld 2013: How SRP Delivers More Than Power to Their Customers VMworld
VMworld 2013
Sheldon Brown, SRP
Girish Manmadkar, VMware
Learn more about VMworld and register at http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa?src=socmed-vmworld-slideshare
VMworld 2013: Maximize Database Performance in Your Software-Defined Data CenterVMworld
VMworld 2013
Mark Achtemichuk, VMware
Michael Webster, VMware
Learn more about VMworld and register at http://www.vmworld.com/index.jspa?src=socmed-vmworld-slideshare
TechTarget Event - Storage Architectures for the Modern Data Center - Howard ...NetApp
Keynote Presentation: How Storage Function Follows Architecture
Presented by Howard Marks, Founder and Chief Scientist, Deep Storage, LLC
Storage buyers today are faced with a broader variety of choices than ever before. Unfortunately, the architecture of the storage system they select will forever determine how well that system adapts to changes in their data center. While flash does make almost every storage system faster, the system's scalability, flexibility and manageability are determined not by the media but by the system's architecture.
This session will examine how storage system architectures predetermine how systems behave in the real world. We'll see how common storage architectures affect performance, scalability, quality of service, snapshots and vVol support.
VMworld 2015: Monitoring and Managing Applications with vRealize Operations 6...VMworld
This year VMware vSphere 6 combined with vRealize Operations 6.1 (vR Ops 6) adds critical features to increase technical agility in the infrastructure, and reduce Mean time to Repair. With a new Automated remediation action framework in vR Ops, vSphere 6’s ability to vMotion Physical Raw Device mappings (RDMs), and a complete Management Pack Ecosystem for monitoring Infrastructure to applications, administrators have the tools needed to get to maintain 5 9’s uptime, shorten Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), and predict capacity requirements as and when the business requires.. This session will be a deep technical explanation, and live demonstration of these tools. It will give administrators a solid understanding of how they can use these tools to monitor and manage their application clusters, keep applications running during Infrastructure maintenance, and get deep holistic visibility into the entire Application ecosystem, from Storage to Networking.
VMworld 2015: Virtualize Active Directory, the Right Way!VMworld
Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS) allows organizations to deploy a scalable and secure directory service for managing users, resources and applications. Virtualization of ADDS has been supported for many years now, however has required careful management to avoid pitfalls around replication, time management, and access. Windows Server 2012 provides greater support for virtualization by including virtualization-safe features and support for rapid domain controller deployment.
VMworld 2015: Site Recovery Manager and Policy Based DR Deep Dive with Engine...VMworld
Policy based management greatly simplifies the work of IT Administrators making it easy to ensure that applications and VMs receive the resources, protection and functionality required. Learn about the latest enhancements of Site Recovery Manager in this space, which represent a huge step towards providing policy based DR. In this session we'll dive deep into how this approach works and how to work with them.
The popularity of Virtual SAN is growing daily. Server admins are finally free to aggregate storage in their servers to create a shared storage system that scales with their compute needs. The underlying key to making it all work is networking. All Virtual SAN data flows through it, and correct selection and configuration of networking components will mean the difference between disruptive success or dramatic failure. This session will give deep insight in the do's and don'ts of Virtual SAN networking. Best practices for physical and virtual switch configuration and performance testing will be discussed. Virtual SAN 5.5 and 6.0 will be covered, and the networking differences discussed. Methods of troubleshooting network issues will be covered. For those configuring a Virtual SAN network for the first time, for labs or enterprise scale, this session is a must-see.
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf91mobiles
91mobiles recently conducted a Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey in which we asked over 3,000 respondents about the TV they own, aspects they look at on a new TV, and their TV buying preferences.
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdfPaige Cruz
Monitoring and observability aren’t traditionally found in software curriculums and many of us cobble this knowledge together from whatever vendor or ecosystem we were first introduced to and whatever is a part of your current company’s observability stack.
While the dev and ops silo continues to crumble….many organizations still relegate monitoring & observability as the purview of ops, infra and SRE teams. This is a mistake - achieving a highly observable system requires collaboration up and down the stack.
I, a former op, would like to extend an invitation to all application developers to join the observability party will share these foundational concepts to build on:
DevOps and Testing slides at DASA ConnectKari Kakkonen
My and Rik Marselis slides at 30.5.2024 DASA Connect conference. We discuss about what is testing, then what is agile testing and finally what is Testing in DevOps. Finally we had lovely workshop with the participants trying to find out different ways to think about quality and testing in different parts of the DevOps infinity loop.
GraphSummit Singapore | The Art of the Possible with Graph - Q2 2024Neo4j
Neha Bajwa, Vice President of Product Marketing, Neo4j
Join us as we explore breakthrough innovations enabled by interconnected data and AI. Discover firsthand how organizations use relationships in data to uncover contextual insights and solve our most pressing challenges – from optimizing supply chains, detecting fraud, and improving customer experiences to accelerating drug discoveries.
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
Dr. Sean Tan, Head of Data Science, Changi Airport Group
Discover how Changi Airport Group (CAG) leverages graph technologies and generative AI to revolutionize their search capabilities. This session delves into the unique search needs of CAG’s diverse passengers and customers, showcasing how graph data structures enhance the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated search results, mitigating the risk of “hallucinations” and improving the overall customer journey.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
GraphSummit Singapore | The Future of Agility: Supercharging Digital Transfor...Neo4j
Leonard Jayamohan, Partner & Generative AI Lead, Deloitte
This keynote will reveal how Deloitte leverages Neo4j’s graph power for groundbreaking digital twin solutions, achieving a staggering 100x performance boost. Discover the essential role knowledge graphs play in successful generative AI implementations. Plus, get an exclusive look at an innovative Neo4j + Generative AI solution Deloitte is developing in-house.
Transcript: Selling digital books in 2024: Insights from industry leaders - T...BookNet Canada
The publishing industry has been selling digital audiobooks and ebooks for over a decade and has found its groove. What’s changed? What has stayed the same? Where do we go from here? Join a group of leading sales peers from across the industry for a conversation about the lessons learned since the popularization of digital books, best practices, digital book supply chain management, and more.
Link to video recording: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/selling-digital-books-in-2024-insights-from-industry-leaders/
Presented by BookNet Canada on May 28, 2024, with support from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Pushing the limits of ePRTC: 100ns holdover for 100 daysAdtran
At WSTS 2024, Alon Stern explored the topic of parametric holdover and explained how recent research findings can be implemented in real-world PNT networks to achieve 100 nanoseconds of accuracy for up to 100 days.
PHP Frameworks: I want to break free (IPC Berlin 2024)Ralf Eggert
In this presentation, we examine the challenges and limitations of relying too heavily on PHP frameworks in web development. We discuss the history of PHP and its frameworks to understand how this dependence has evolved. The focus will be on providing concrete tips and strategies to reduce reliance on these frameworks, based on real-world examples and practical considerations. The goal is to equip developers with the skills and knowledge to create more flexible and future-proof web applications. We'll explore the importance of maintaining autonomy in a rapidly changing tech landscape and how to make informed decisions in PHP development.
This talk is aimed at encouraging a more independent approach to using PHP frameworks, moving towards a more flexible and future-proof approach to PHP development.
GraphRAG is All You need? LLM & Knowledge GraphGuy Korland
Guy Korland, CEO and Co-founder of FalkorDB, will review two articles on the integration of language models with knowledge graphs.
1. Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmap.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08302
2. Microsoft Research's GraphRAG paper and a review paper on various uses of knowledge graphs:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/graphrag-unlocking-llm-discovery-on-narrative-private-data/
Unlocking Productivity: Leveraging the Potential of Copilot in Microsoft 365, a presentation by Christoforos Vlachos, Senior Solutions Manager – Modern Workplace, Uni Systems
Securing your Kubernetes cluster_ a step-by-step guide to success !KatiaHIMEUR1
Today, after several years of existence, an extremely active community and an ultra-dynamic ecosystem, Kubernetes has established itself as the de facto standard in container orchestration. Thanks to a wide range of managed services, it has never been so easy to set up a ready-to-use Kubernetes cluster.
However, this ease of use means that the subject of security in Kubernetes is often left for later, or even neglected. This exposes companies to significant risks.
In this talk, I'll show you step-by-step how to secure your Kubernetes cluster for greater peace of mind and reliability.
Free Complete Python - A step towards Data Science
VMworld 2014: Advanced SQL Server on vSphere Techniques and Best Practices
1. Advanced SQL Server on
vSphere Techniques and Best
Practices
VAPP2979
Scott Salyer, VMware, Inc
Jeff Szastak, VMware, Inc
2. Disclaimer
• This presentation may contain product features that are currently under development.
• This overview of new technology represents no commitment from VMware to deliver these
features in any generally available product.
• Features are subject to change, and must not be included in contracts, purchase orders, or
sales agreements of any kind.
• Technical feasibility and market demand will affect final delivery.
• Pricing and packaging for any new technologies or features discussed or presented have not
been determined.
CONFIDENTIAL 2
3. Agenda / Table of Contents
CONFIDENTIAL 3
1 Introductions
2
Storage
• Data Volume and Protocol Considerations
• Designing for Performance
3
Networking
• Jumbo Frames
• Guest Tuning
4
Memory
• Understanding Memory Management
• Best Practices in SQL Server Guests
4. Agenda / Table of Contents
CONFIDENTIAL 4
5
CPU
• Best Practices
• Sizing Considerations
6
Consolidating Multiple Workloads
• Consolidation Options
• Mixing Workload Types
7
SQL Server Availability
• vSphere Features
• Supported SQL Server Clustering Configurations
6. VMFS or RDM?
• Generally similar performance http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/performance_char_vmfs_rdm.pdf
• vSphere 5.5 supports up to 62TB VMDK files
• Disk size no longer a limitation of VMFS
VMFS RDM
Better storage consolidation – multiple virtual disks/virtual machines per
VMFS LUN. But still can assign one virtual machine per LUN
Enforces 1:1 mapping between virtual machine and
LUN
Consolidating virtual machines in LUN – less likely to reach vSphere
LUN Limit of 256
More likely to hit vSphere LUN limit of 256
Manage performance – combined IOPS of all virtual machines in LUN <
IOPS rating of LUN
Not impacted by IOPS of other virtual machines
• When to use raw device mapping (RDM)
– Required for shared-disk failover clustering
– Required by storage vendor for SAN management tools such as backup and snapshots
• Otherwise use VMFS
7. VMDK Lazy Zeroing *
• Default VMDK allocation policy lazy zeroes 1M
VMFS blocks on first write
• Write penalty on an untouched VMDK
• SQL Server operations could be affected by lazy
zeroing
– Write operations
– Read operations that use tempdb extensively
– Bulk load/index maintenance
• For best performance, format VMDK as
eagerzeroedthick *
• * Zero offload capability in VAAI improves
zeroing in supported arrays
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
1 host 2 hosts4 hosts8 hosts 16
hosts
Throughput(MBps)
Effect of Zeroing on
Storage Performance
"Post-zeroing" "Zeroing"
8. Eagerzeroed Thick in the GUI
• When using VMFS for SQL Server data, create VMDK files as eagerzeroed thick or uncheck
Windows “Quick Format” option
vSphere 4
vSphere 5
9. Block Alignment
• Configure storage presented to vSphere hosts using
vCenter to ensure VMFS block alignment
• Even though Windows is supposed to automatically align
as of Windows 2008, Microsoft recommends double
checking
– http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd758814.aspx
– http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jimmymay/archive/2014/03/14/disk-partition-alignment-
for-windows-server-2012-sql-server-2012-and-sql-server-2014.aspx (Jimmy
May - MSDN Blogs)
• Whatever the operating system, confirm that new
partitions are properly aligned
Unaligned partitions result in additional I/O
Aligned partitions reduce I/O
stripe unit size value should be an integer
10. PVSCSI, Anyone?
• The latest and most advanced vSphere SCSI controller drivers
• Larger queue depth per-device (256, actual 254) and per-adapter(1024)
– Default values are 64 and 254
• Less CPU overhead
• Requires VMware Tools
– Drivers not native to Windows
– Cannot be used for OS partition without some work-around
• Increase queue depth in Windows Guest OS by increase request ring to 32
– HKLMSYSTEMCCSservicespvscsiParametersDeviceDriverParameter
"RequestRingPages=32,MaxQueueDepth=254”
– ESX 5.0 U3 and above only
• Not currently supported for ANY type of Windows Clustering configuration
11. …and what about NFS and In-guest iSCSI?
• NFS
– Supported for SQL Server (must meet data write ordering requirements and guarantee write-through)
– Not supported by VMware for Windows Clustering
• In-guest iSCSI
– Supported for Standalone and Clustered
• No VMware-mandated considerations
– Facilitates easy storage zoning and access masking
– Useful for minimizing number of LUNs zoned to an ESXi host
– Offloads storage processing resources away from ESXi hosts
– Should use dedicated network and NIC
13. VMFS
Design for Storage Performance (not just Capacity)
• The fundamental relationship between consumption
and supply has not changed
– Spindle count and RAID configuration still rule
– But host demand is an aggregate of virtual machines
• Factors that affect storage performance include
storage protocols, storage configuration, and Virtual
Machine File System (VMFS) configuration
15. OLTP
§ Large amount of small queries
§ Sustained CPU utilization during working hours
§ Sensitive to peak contentions (slow downs affects SLA)
§ Generally Write intensive
§ May generate many chatty network round trips
§ Typically runs during off-peak hours, low CPU utilization during
normal working hours
§ Can withstand peak contention, but sustain activity is key
Batch / ETL
DSS
§ Small amount of large queries
§ CPU, memory, disk IO intensive
§ Peaks during month end, quarter end, year end
§ Can benefit from inter-query parallelism with large number of threads
Database Workloads Types
16. SQL Server I/O Characteristics
• Understanding the I/O characteristics of common SQL Server operations and scenarios can
help determine how to configure storage
• Some of the more common scenarios below
• Monitor I/O to determine specifics of each scenario
Operation Random/Sequential Read/Write Size Range
OLTP – Log Sequential Write Up to 64K
OLTP – Data Random Read/Write 8K
Bulk Insert Sequential Write Any multiple of 8K up to 256K
Read Ahead – DSS and Index Scans Sequential Read Any multiple of 8KB up to 512K
Backup Sequential Read 1MB
17. Storage – Test Before Deployment
• Simulate SQL Server disk I/O patterns using a generic tool, such as the
native SQLIOSim or IOmeter
• Test to make sure requirements, such as throughput and latency, have been met
• Example SQL I/O patterns to tests
R/W% Type Block Threads/ Queue Simulates
80/20 Random 8K # cores/files Typical OLTP data files
0/100 Sequential 60K 1/32 Transaction log
100/0 Sequential 512K 1/16 Table scans
0/100 Sequential 256K 1/16 Bulk load
100/0 Random 32K # cores/1 SSAS workload
100/0 Sequential 1MB 1/32 Backup
0/100 Random 64K-256K # cores/files Checkpoints
18. LUN Size
• In the example, VMware ESXi™ B can
generate twice as much I/O as ESXi A
• Improved aggregate throughput
of multiple LUNs
• Implications for the array
– Greater number of smaller LUNs increases
burst intensity
– Many HBA/LUN pairs could be used
simultaneously
ESXi A
1
2
…
32
VM a VM b
VMFS
ESXi B
1
2
…
32
VM c VM d
1
2
…
32
19. Performance Best Practices
• DataStores
– Create dedicated data stores to service BCA database workloads
– svMotion / SDRS to balance workloads across datastores
• Load Balance your workloads across as many disk spindles as possible
• Optimize IP-based storage (iSCSI and NFS)
– Enable Jumbo Frames
– Use dedicated VLAN for ESXi host's vmknic & iSCSI/NFS server to minimize network interference
from other packet sources
– Exclude iSCSI NICs from Windows Failover Cluster use
• Choose Storage which supports VMware vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI)
• Deploy vSphere Flash Read Cache (vFRC)
– a volatile write-through cache
– caches read requests of virtual machine I/O requests
– enabled on a per-vmdk basis with a cache block size (4KB - 1MB)
20. Performance Best Practices (continued)
• Follow storage vendor’s best practices when laying out database (also storage multipathing)
• Use multiple vSCSI adapters to evenly distribute target devices and increase parallel access
for databases with demanding workloads
• Format database VMDK files as Eager Zeroed Thick* for demanding workload database
– * Required ONLY if the storage array is not VAAI-compliant. See VMware KB #1021976 (
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021976)
– See “Benefits of EMC VNX for Block Integration with VMware VAAI”
http://www.us.emc.com/collateral/hardware/white-papers/h8293-vaai-vnx-wp.pdf
• Network protocol processing for software-initiated iSCSI / NFS operations take place on the
host system, requiring CPU resources
• Follow same guidelines as physical
– separate LUNs with different IO characteristics i.e. data, redo / log, temporary, rollback
21. Performance Best Practices (continued)
• Be conservative – for mission critical production, dedicate LUNs for above disks
• Ensure storage adapter cards are installed in slots with enough bandwidth to support their
expected throughput
• Ensure appropriate read/write controller cache is enabled
• Pick the right multipathing policy based on vendor storage array design
• Storage Multipathing – Set up a minimum of four paths from an ESX Server to a storage array
(requires at least two HBA ports)
• Configure maximum queue depth if needed for Fibre Channel HBA cards. See:
– http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1267
– http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1267
22. SQL Server Guest Storage Best Practices
• Follow SQL Server storage best practices – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc966534.aspx
• Ensure correct sector alignment in Windows
– Incorrect setting can result in up to 50% performance hit
– Don’t use the “Quick format” option for database/log volumes
• Pre-allocate data files to avoid autogrow during peak time
– If using auto-growth, use MB and not % increments
• Use multiple data files for data and tempdb – start with 1 file per CPU core
– Multiple TempDB files can co-exist on the same volume – Not encouraged
• Database file placement priority – fastest to slowest drive
– Transaction Log Files > TempDB Data Files > Data Files
• Place data and log files on separate LUNs
• Perform routine maintenance with index rebuild/reorg, dbcc checkdb
• Number of Data Files Should Be <= Number of Processor Cores
23. Storage – Putting It ALL Together
• Work with storage engineer early in the lifecycle
• Optimize VMFS and avoid lazy zeroing by using eagerzeroedthick disks
• Ensure that blocks are aligned at both the ESXi and Windows levels
• Understand the path to the drives, such as storage protocol and multipathing
• Size for performance, not just capacity (apps often drive performance requirements)
• Understand the I/O requirements of different workloads
– Separate LUNs for files with different I/O characteristics, such as transactional data versus log versus
backup
– Separate VMDKs for SQL binary, data, log, and tempdb files
• Use small LUNs for better manageability and performance
• Optimize IP network for iSCSI and NFS
25. Jumbo Frames
• Use Jumbo Frames – confirm there is no MTU mismatch
• To configure, see iSCSI and Jumbo Frames configuration on ESX 3.x and ESX 4.x
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007654
26. SQL Server: Network
• Network
• Default packet size is 4,096
– If jumbo frames are available for the entire
stack, set packet size to 8,192
• Maximize Data Throughput for Network
Applications
– Limit file system cache by OS
– NIC > File & Printer Sharing Microsoft
Networks
• Use Minimize Memory or Balance
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/johnhicks/archive/2008/03/03/sql-server-checklist.aspx
27. AlwaysOn Availability Group Cluster Settings
• Depending on YOUR network, tuning may be necessary – work with Network Team and
Microsoft to determine appropriate settings
Cluster Heartbeat
Parameters
Default
Value
CrossSubnetDelay 1000 ms
CrossSubnetThreshold 5hb
SameSubnetDelay 1000 ms
SameSubnetThreshold 5 hb
View: cluster /cluster:<clustername> /prop
Modify: cluster /cluster:clustername> /prop <prop_name> = <value>
28. Network Best Practices
• Allocate separate NICs for vMotion, FT logging traffic, and ESXi console access management
– Alternatively use VLAN-trunking support to separate production users, management, VM network, and
iSCSI storage traffic
• vSphere 5.0 supports the use of more than 1 NIC for vMotion allowing more simultaneous
vMotions; added specifically for memory intensive applications like Databases
• Use NIC load-based teaming (route based on physical NIC load) for availability, load balancing,
and improved vMotion speeds
• Have minimum 4 NICs per host to ensure performance and redundancy of network
• Recommend the use of NICs that support:
– Checksum offload , TCP segmentation offload (TSO)
– Jumbo frames (JF), Large receive offload (LRO)
– Ability to handle high-memory DMA (i.e. 64-bit DMA addresses)
– Ability to handle multiple Scatter Gather elements per Tx frame
– NICs should support offload of encapsulated packets (with VXLAN)
29. Network Best Practices (continued)
• For “chatty” VMs on same host, connect to same vSwitch to avoid pNIC traffic
• Separate SQL workloads with chatty network traffic (Microsoft Always On – Are you there) from
the one with chunky access into different physical NICs
• Use Distributed Virtual Switches for cross-ESX network convenience
• Be mindful of converged networks; storage load can affect network and vice versa as they use
the same physical hardware
• Use VMXNET3 Paravirtualized adapter drivers to increase performance
– Reduces overhead versus vlance or E1000 emulation
– Must have VMware Tools to enable VMXNET3
• Tune Guest OS network buffers, maximum ports
• Ensure no bottlenecks in the network between the source and destination
• Look out for Packet Loss / Network Latency if a network issue is detected
31. Large Pages
• Use ESXi Large Pages (2MB)
– Improves performance by significantly reducing TLB misses (applications with large active memory
working sets)
– Does not share large pages unless memory pressure (KB 1021095 and 1021896)
– Slightly reduces the per-virtual-machine memory space overhead
• For systems with Hardware-assisted Virtualization
– Recommend use guest-level large memory pages
– ESXi will use large pages to back the GOS memory pages even if the GOS does not make use of large
memory pages(full benefit of huge pages is when GOS use them as well as ESXi does)
32. “Large Pages Do Not Normally SWAP”
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021095
In the cases where host memory is overcommitted, ESX may have
to swap out pages. Since ESX will not swap out large pages,
during host swapping, a large page will be broken into small
pages. ESX tries to share those small pages using the pre-
generated hashes before they are swapped out. The motivation of
doing this is that the overhead of breaking a shared page is
much smaller than the overhead of swapping in a page if the
page is accessed again in the future.
33. Swapping is Bad!
• Swapping happens when:
– The host is trying to service more memory than it has physically AND
– ESXi memory optimization features (TPS and Ballooning) are insufficient to provide relief
• Swapping Occurs in Two Places
– Guest VM Swapping
– ESXi Host Swapping
• Swapping can slow down I/O performance of disks for other VM’s
• Two ways to keep swapping from affecting your workload:
– At the VM: Set memory reservation = allocated memory (avoid ballooning/swapping)
• Use active memory counter with caution and always confirmed usage by checking memory counter in Perfmon
– At the Host: Do not overcommit memory until vCenter reports that steady state usage is < the amount
of RAM on the server, be sure to wait at least 1 business cycle (vCOPs)
34. ESXi Memory Features that Help Avoid Swapping
• Transparent Page Sharing
– Optimizes use of memory on the host by “sharing” memory pages
that are identical between VMs
– More effective with similar VMs (OS, Application, configuration)
– Very low overhead
• Ballooning
– Allows the ESXi host to “borrow” memory from one VM to satisfy
requests from other VMs on that host
– The host exerts artificial memory pressure to the VM via the
“balloon driver” and returns to the pool usable by other VMs
– Ballooning is the host’s last option before being forced to swap
– Ballooning is only effective if VMs have “idle” memory
• DON’T TURN THESE OFF
35. Memory Reservations
• Allows you to guarantee a certain share of the physical
memory for an individual VM
• The VM is only allowed to power on if the CPU and
memory reservation is available (strict admission)
• The amount of memory can be guaranteed even under
heavy loads
• In many cases, the configured size and reservation size
could be the same
37. Memory ALLOCATED TO a VM Is Determined by….
• DRS Shares/Limits**
• Total Memory of the Host
• Reservations
• Memory Load of the host
38. Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA)
• Designed to avoid the performance hit when several
processors attempt to address the same memory by
providing separate memory for each NUMA Node.
• Speeds up Processing
• NUMA Nodes Specific to Each Processor Model
39. Virtual NUMA in vSphere 5
• Extends NUMA awareness to the guest OS
• Enabled through multicore UI
– On by default for 8+ vCPU multicore VM
– Existing VMs are not affected through upgrade
– For smaller VMs, enable by setting numa.vcpu.min=4
• CPU Hot-Add disables vNUMA
• For wide virtual machines, confirm feature
is on for best performance
• SQL Server
– Automatically detects NUMA architecture
– SQL Server process and memory allocation optimized for
NUMA architecture
40. NUMA Best Practices
• http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/VMware-vSphere-CPU-Sched-Perf.pdf
• Avoid Remote NUMA access
– Size # of vCPUs to be <= the # of cores on a NUMA node (processor socket)
• Hyperthreading
– Initial conservative sizing: set vCPUs to # of cores
– HT benefit around 20-25%, < for CPU intensive batch jobs (based on OLTP workload tests )
– Increase vCPUs to get HT benefit, but consider “numa.vcpu.preferHT” option – individual case basis
• # of virtual sockets and # of cores / virtual socket
– Recommendation , keep default 1 core / socket
• Align VMs with physical NUMA boundaries
• ESXTOP to monitor NUMA performance at vSphere
• If vMotioning, move between hosts with the same NUMA architecture to avoid
performance hit (until reboot)
42. Large Pages in SQL Server Configuration Manager
• Use Large Pages in the guest – start SQL Server with trace flag -T834
43. Lock Pages in Memory User Right
• May keep SQL Server more responsive
when paging occurs
• ON by default in 32/64 bit Standard
Edition and higher if rights are granted
• The SQL Server Service Account
(sqlservr.exe) must have “Lock pages in
memory” rights
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms178067.aspx
44. Running Multiple Instances on Same VM
• Option 1: Use max server memory
– Create max setting for each instance
– Give each instance memory proportional to expected
workload / db size
– Do not exceed total RAM allocated to VM
• Option 2: Use min server memory
– Create min settings for each instance
– Give each instance memory proportional to expected
workload / db size
– The sum should be 1-2 GB less than RAM allocated to VM
Pro Con
Max server memory
When a new process or instance starts, memory is available
immediately to fulfill the request
If instances are not running, the running
instances cannot access the available RAM
Min server memory
Running instances can leverage memory previously used by
instances that are no longer running
When a new process or instance starts, running
instances need to release memory
Max Memory = VMMem – ThreadStack
–
OS
Mem
–
VM
Overhead
• ThreadStack
=
NumOfSQLThreads(ThreadStackSize)
• ThreadStackSize
=
1
MB
on
x86
|
2
MB
on
x64
hDp://msdn.microsoI.com/en-‐us/library/ms178067.aspx
Settings can be modified without having
to restart the instances!
45. How Many VMs Can I Put on a Host?
• As many whose active memory will fit in physical
RAM, while leaving some room for memory spikes.
Active memory (%ACTV) of VM’s + Memory
Overhead – Page sharing of VM’s (DE-Duping)
DE-Duping = Transparent Page Sharing
46. Memory – Putting It ALL Together
• Use ESXi Large Pages
• Avoid host-level swapping
– Utilize ESXi memory management features like TPS and ballooning (don’t disable!)
– Avoid overcommitment of memory at the host level (HostMem >= Sum of VMMem – overhead)
– If overcommitment is unavoidable, use reservations to protect important VMs
• To avoid NUMA remote memory access, size VM memory equal to or less than the memory
per NUMA node if possible
– Utilize ESXi virtual NUMA features (especially for wide VMs)
• Use Large Pages in the guest – start SQL Server with trace flag -T834
• Enable Lock Pages in Memory right for SQL Server service account
• Use Max Server Memory and Min Server Memory when running multiple instances of SQL
Server in the same VM
• Disable unnecessary processes within Windows
48. CPU Sizing Considerations
• Understand existing workload, average and peak
• Properly manage pCPU allocation
– For Tier 1 workload, avoid pCPU overcommitment
– For lower-tiered databases workload
• Reasonable overcommitment can increase aggregate throughput and maximize license savings – consolidation
ratio varies depending on workloads
• Leverage vMotion and DRS for resource load balancing
– Monitor to optimize
• Host level – %RDY, %MLMTD, and %CSTP
• Virtual machine level – processor queue length
• Keep NUMA node size in mind
– For smaller virtual machine, try to stay inside a NUMA node if possible
– For wide virtual machine – vSphere 5.x
• Align vCPUs to physical NUMA boundaries
• Enable vNUMA on vSphere host to allow SQL Server NUMA optimization
49. Processor – Putting It All Together
• Leverage hardware-assisted virtualization (enabled by default)
• Consider avg. and peak utilization
• Be aware of hyper-threading, a hyper-thread does not provide the full power of a physical core
• Consider future growth of the system, sufficient head room should be reserved
• In high performance environment, consider adding additional hosts when avg. host CPU
utilization exceeds 65%
• Consider increasing CPU resource if guest VM CPU utilization is above 65% in average
• Ensure Power Saving Features are “OFF”
• Use vCOPs for consumption & capaticity
51. Consolidation Options
• Scale-up approach
– Multiple databases or SQL instances per
virtual machine
– Fewer virtual machines
– Poor workload management
– Potential reduction in SQL licensing cost
• Scale-out approach
– Single database per VM
– Potential increase in mgmt. overhead
– Better isolation/performance
– Easier security and change mgmt.
– DRS more effective with smaller VMs
– Faster migration (vMotion)
51
52. OLTP vs. Batch Workloads
• What this says:
– Average 15% Utilization
– Moderate sustained activity (around 28% during working
hours 8am-6pm)
– Minimum activities during non working hours
– Peak utilization of 58%
• What this says:
– Average 15% Utilization
– Very quiet during the working day (less than 8% utilization)
– Heavy activity during 1am-4am, with avg. 73%, and peak 95%
Batch Workload (avg. 15%)
OLTP Workload (avg. 15%)
53. OLTP vs. Batch Workloads
• What This Means
– Better Server Utilization
– Improved Consolidation Ratios
– Less Equipment To Patch, Service, Etc
– Saves Money/Less Licensing
OLTP/Batch Combined Workload
54. Running with Mixed SQL Server Workloads
• Consider workload characteristics, and manage pCPU overcommitment
as a function of typical utilization
– OLTP workloads can be stacked up to a sustained utilization level
– OLTP workloads that are high usage during daytime and batch workloads that run during off-peak hours
mix well together
– Batch/ETL workloads with different peak periods are mixed well together
• Consider operational history, such as month-end and quarter-end
– Additional virtual machines can be added to handle peak period during month-end, quarter-end,
and year-end, if scale out is a possibility
– CPU and memory hot add can be used to handle workload peak
– Reduce virtual machine density, or add more hosts to the cluster
• Use DRS as your insurance policy, but don’t rely on it for resource planning
56. Business-Level Approach
• What are you trying to protect?
– i.e. What does the business care about protecting?
• What are your RTO/RPO requirements?
• What is your Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
• How will you test and verify your solution?
57. vSphere 5 Availability Features
• vSphere vMotion
– Can reduce virtual machine planned downtime
– Relocate SQL Server VMs without end-user interruption
– Perform host maintenance any time of the day
• vSphere DRS
– Monitors state of virtual machine resource usage
– Can automatically and intelligently locate virtual machine
– Can create a dynamically balanced SQL deployment
• VMware vSphere High Availability (HA)
– Does not require Microsoft Cluster Server
– Uses VMware host clusters
– Automatically restarts failed SQL virtual machine in minutes
– Heartbeat detects hung virtual machines
– Application HA can provide availability at the SQL Server service level!
58. Microsoft
Clustering on
VMware
vSphere support
VMware HA
support
vMotion DRS
support
Storage vMotion
support
MSCS Node Limits
Storage Protocols support
Shared Disk
FC
In-Guest
OS iSCSI
Native
iSCSI
In-Guest
OS SMB
FCoE
RDM
VMFS
Shared
Disk
MSCS with
Shared Disk
Yes
Yes1
No
No
2
5 (5.1 only)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes5
Yes4
Yes2
Yes3
Exchange Single
Copy Cluster
Yes
Yes1
No
No
2
5 (5.1 only)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes5
Yes4
Yes2
Yes3
SQL Clustering
Yes
Yes1
No
No
2
5 (5.1 only)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes5
Yes4
Yes2
Yes3
SQL AlwaysOn
Failover Cluster
Instance
Yes
Yes1
No
No
2
5 (5.1 only)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes5
Yes4
Yes2
Yes3
Non
shared
Disk
Network Load
Balance
Yes
Yes1
Yes
Yes
Same as
OS/app
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
Yes
N/A
N/A
Exchange CCR
Yes
Yes1
Yes
Yes
Same as
OS/app
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
Yes
N/A
N/A
Exchange DAG
Yes
Yes1
Yes
Yes
Same as
OS/app
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
Yes
N/A
N/A
SQL AlwaysOn
Availability
Group
Yes
Yes1
Yes
Yes
Same as
OS/app
Yes
Yes
Yes
N/A
Yes
N/A
N/A
Shared Disk Configurations: Supported on
vSphere with additional considerations for storage
protocols and disk configs
Non-Shared Disk Configurations: Supported on
vSphere just like on physical
* Use affinity/anti-affinity rules when using vSphere HA
** RDMs required in “Cluster-across-Box” (CAB) configurations, VMFS required in “Cluster-in-Box” (CIB) configurations
VMware Knowledge Base Article: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1037959
VMware Support for Microsoft Clustering on vSphere
59. Shared Disk Clustering (Failover Clustering and AlwaysOn FCI)
• Provides application high-availability through a shared-disk architecture
• One copy of the data, rely on storage technology to provide data redundancy
• Automatic failover for any application or user
• Suffers from restrictions in storage and VMware configuration
60. vSphere HA with Shared Disk Clustering
• Supports up to five-node cluster in vSphere 5.1 and above
• Failover cluster nodes can be physical or virtual or any
combination of the two
• Host attach (FC) , FCoE* or in-guest (iSCSI)
• Supports RDM only
• vSphere HA + failover clustering
– Seamless integration, virtual machines rejoin clustering session
after vSphere HA recovery
– Can shorten time that database is in unprotected state
– Use DRS affinity/anti-affinity rules to avoid running cluster
virtual machines on the same host
Failover clustering supported with vSphere HA as of vSphere 4.1
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1037959
61. Non-Shared Disk Clustering (Always On Availability Groups)
• Database-level replication over IP; no shared storage requirement
• Same advantages as failover clustering (service availability, patching, etc.)
• Readable secondary
• Automatic or manual failover through WSFC policies
62. vSphere HA with AlwaysOn Availability Groups
• Seamless integration
• Protect against hardware/software failure
• Support multiple secondary and readable secondary
• Provide local and remote availability
• Full feature compatibility with availability group
• VMware HA shortens time that database is in
unprotected state
• DRS anti-affinity rule avoids running virtual machines
on the same host
EMC Study – SQL Server AlwaysOn running vSphere 5 and EMC FAST VP
http://www.emc.com/collateral/hardware/white-papers/h10507-mission-critical-sql-server-2012.pdf
63. WSFC – Cluster Validation Wizard
• Use this to validate support for your configuration
– Required by Microsoft Support for condition of support for YOUR configuration
• Run this before installing AAG(AlwayOn Availabilty Group), and every time you make changes
– Save resulting html reports for reference
• If running non-symmetrical storage, possible hotfixes required
– http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff878487(SQL.110).aspx#SystemReqsForAOAG
63
64. Patching Non-clustered Databases
• Benefits
– No need to deploy an MS cluster simply for
patching / upgrading the OS and database
– Ability to test in a controlled manner
(multiple times if needed)
– Minimal impact to production site
until OS patching completed
and tested
– Patching of secondary VM
can occur during regular
business hours
• Requires you to layout VMDKs correctly to
support this scenario
65. Resources
• Visit us on the web to learn more on specific apps
– http://www.vmware.com/solutions/business-critical-apps/
– Specific page for each major app
– Includes Best Practices and Design/Sizing information
• Visit our Business Critical Application blog
– http://blogs.vmware.com/apps/
66. New RDBMS books from VMware Press
66
vmwarepress.com
http://www.pearsonitcertification.com/store/
virtualizing-oracle-databases-on-
vsphere-9780133570182
http://www.pearsonitcertification.com/store/
virtualizing-sql-server-with-vmware-doing-it-
right-9780321927750