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JohnDeere
Posting Yak Master
191 Posts |
 Posted - 2004-03-11 : 15:34:32
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| Does anyone have any experience running sql server on an EMC SAN?We are currently looking at purchasing a CX300 or CX500 and migrating off of our Compaq cluster using 2 RA4100's for storage.Lance Harra |
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derrickleggett
Pointy Haired Yak DBA
4184 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-11 : 16:27:57
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| We have a CX400 here. We have been using it for the production SQL Server for about 6 months now. We're getting ready to increase the space and put backup, dev, reporting, and staging on there. We'll be using ERM and SnapView. What do you need to know? What kind of servers and paths will you run to the SAN?MeanOldDBAderrickleggett@hotmail.comWhen life gives you a lemon, fire the DBA. |
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JohnDeere
Posting Yak Master
191 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-11 : 17:40:31
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| We have not decided on servers but I am guessing that we will go with Dell's. Probably dual processors and hopefully a whole lot of RAM.We are leaning towards 2 mcdata (not sure of spelling) switches because they are expandable. The initial servers will not have redundant HBA's but the final production servers will.I was intertested in the snapview/ERM pieces and the over all performance of the SAN. Our current disk system performs terribly and I have not been able to find any reason for the performance problems. Seconds per Write are averaging 0.1 seconds, but the load on the sytem is light SQL is only issuing 20 - 30 batches a second on average.I am insertesedt the monitoing capabilities of the EMC system. Our current Compaq solution is a black box. I can only use perfmon to look at the system as a whole. I can not see how the HBA's, switch and individual drives are performing.ThanksLance Harra |
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MichaelP
Jedi Yak
2489 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-11 : 17:57:19
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| We are running a CX200 in a direct attached mode right now. You can hit a Java app that runs on the storage processors in the EMC box and get all the info about the box. You get statistics info (if you enable statistics), hardware states etc. They also have a piece of software that you can get for the 400/500+ models that gives you more performance monitoring stuff.Be sure to buy installation and gold support from Dell if you get the box from Dell. Installing the box is complicated, but managing it is pretty easy. Also be sure to plan out your arrays etc so that you can get the right config for your database setup (RAID 1 for T-Logs, RAID 1/0 For Data). Michael<Yoda>Use the Search page you must. Find the answer you will.</Yoda> |
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derrickleggett
Pointy Haired Yak DBA
4184 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-11 : 21:33:32
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| Actually, you optimal disk configuration can vary greatly depending on the type of business you do. We have RAID 5 for our data and RAID 10 for our logs on production and backup. Our miscellaneous environments don't need to be fast, so we are doing fairly large RAID 5 arrays divided into several small RAID groups that can handle snaps and Snap clones.Our read/write capabilities on the CX400 is incredible. We were on two Compaq storage units also before we moved to the SAN. Our backup times went from 6 hours to less than 30 minutes by moving to the SAN. We're able to process 500 million reads during business hours with 300-400 tps without seeing any stress on the drives.We have dual-dual 1gb fiber from the production and backup servers into dual 2gb switches on the CX400. Also, if you have the money to spend, get the CX500. You can use 4 enclosures, and more importantly your storage processor cache is much greater.On your current setup, are you seeing long cache waits on your disk statistics? Have you done a diagnostic on the hardware? That just seems really, really slow.MeanOldDBAderrickleggett@hotmail.comWhen life gives you a lemon, fire the DBA. |
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JohnDeere
Posting Yak Master
191 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-11 : 23:16:41
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| I was seeing a lot of queueing on the drives(> 20). I installed an extra GB of RAM in each box on the cluster to improve performance. We had to disable the cache because it caused torn page errors. I do not have any tools besides perfmon and insight manager.I only see this poor performane on the RA4100's that go through the FCAL switch. We have 2 others that are direct attached and they have great performance under mnuch higher loads.Lance Harra |
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eyechart
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
3575 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-11 : 23:24:19
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quote:
Originally posted by JohnDeere
I was seeing a lot of queueing on the drives(> 20). I installed an extra GB of RAM in each box on the cluster to improve performance. We had to disable the cache because it caused torn page errors. I do not have any tools besides perfmon and insight manager.I only see this poor performane on the RA4100's that go through the FCAL switch. We have 2 others that are direct attached and they have great performance under mnuch higher loads.Lance Harra
We also have an RA4100 so I may be able to help you with some of these issues. Do you know the following?What driver levels are you at for the HBAs?What firmware are you at for your HBA?What firmware and make are your switches?What firmware is the RA4100 RAID controller?What service pack are you running of Win2k (assuming you are running win2k)?What service pack of sql server?-ec |
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derrickleggett
Pointy Haired Yak DBA
4184 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-12 : 07:29:04
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| Sounds like it could be a problem with the switch if the problem is occurring on multiple computers all going through the same switch. That would be the only common denominator wouldn't it?MeanOldDBAderrickleggett@hotmail.comWhen life gives you a lemon, fire the DBA. |
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JohnDeere
Posting Yak Master
191 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-12 : 08:16:27
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| We are on our third switch from Compaq.Lance Harra |
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JohnDeere
Posting Yak Master
191 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-12 : 08:31:42
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quote:
Originally posted by eyechartWhat driver levels are you at for the HBAs?What firmware are you at for your HBA?What firmware and make are your switches?What firmware is the RA4100 RAID controller?What service pack are you running of Win2k (assuming you are running win2k)?What service pack of sql server?
I will need to get the network admin's to get me hardware driver details.I know we upgraded all the firmware last August/September (even the individual hardrives firmware)The switch is a brocade sold by compaq. (we have replaced it twice)We are on Win2K SP4SQL Server SP32 CPU Dual 700MHZ with 2GB RAM in a 2 node 2 instance cluster.Lance Harra |
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eyechart
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
3575 Posts |
Posted - 2004-03-12 : 10:46:47
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quote:
Originally posted by JohnDeereI will need to get the network admin's to get me hardware driver details.I know we upgraded all the firmware last August/September (even the individual hardrives firmware)The switch is a brocade sold by compaq. (we have replaced it twice)We are on Win2K SP4SQL Server SP32 CPU Dual 700MHZ with 2GB RAM in a 2 node 2 instance cluster.
There are issues with the HBA drivers on win2k with SP3 or greater. I will dig that info up and post it here later today.-ec |
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SQL on an EMC SAN