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SQL Server Installation - System Database directory

Former Member
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Hello, i'm trying to install SQL server 2012 "manually", and i just can't find information on best practices for System Database directory and other paths that installation requires.

My question is -> what is the best practice for separating the following components for different disks:

  1. Shared Features
  2. Default Instance
  3. Data directories

  1. For shared features i guess that it shouldn't be that important. I'm thinking joining them with Database Instance. Is there any performance issues for shared features?
  2. For Default Instance i was going for a dedicated disk, different from OS disk (and maybe joining Shared Features too). Is there any performance issues for separating Default Instance? I see DBAs do this a lot, but i don't know if it's performance related or just management and binaries "protection".
  3. Data Directories creates the system database. I know that during SAP installation one can (and should) move tempdb to other location. Even if we know we are moving tempdb later in time, there is always master/model etc. Should i install Data Directories in a dedicated disk for performance reasons, or should i install together with Default instance?

Shared Features

Default Instance

System Database

Thanks

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

former_member211576
Contributor
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Hi Pedro,

   The IO workload on default data directory

  1. Shared Features
  2. Default Instance
  3. Data directories

is so small. Personally, I will put all data in C:\ just because it is easier to use. When you install SAP on SQL using SWPM later, you have to distribute the most important database files to each LUN.

ex:

<SID>Data 1~4: LUN 1

<SID>Data 13~16: LUN 4

TempDBF 1: LUN 1

TempDBF 4: LUN 4

<SID>Log 1: LUN 5

TempLog 1: LUN 5

see Juergen's best practice doc here. ( http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/4ab89e84-0d01-0010-cda2-82ddc3548... )

Answers (3)

Answers (3)

Former Member
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Thanks all for the answers

Former Member
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Hi Pedro,

that very much depends on the type of storage you are using (SAN, NAS, DAS and so on). If I had no restrictions I would go for something like that:

LUN1: OS

LUN2: pagefile

LUN3: SQL Server with all components mentioned above + master, model, msdb

LUN4: SAP executables

LUN5: tempdb

LUN6: <SID>Logfile (write performance is important)

LUN[7..n]: <SID>DATA[1..n] (read performance is important)

LUN[n+1]: TA-Log backup

LUN[n+2]: DB backup

For the tempdb, logfile and datafiles you might also want to consider using SSD drives. At least these 3 types of files I would always put on seperate DISKs/LUNs.

Regards,

Sven

Former Member
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Hi Pedro

You need to isolate System Swap(Page filesystem), System Databases, Tempdb, and User Databases to separate disks (LUNs), this can be done bases on your storage. if you are using internal disks isolate to different RAID sets. It is strongly suggested do not Share tempdb and other dbs LUNS. this helps reduce DISK I/O overhead.

Let me know if you have further questions i am happy to answer.

-giri