Virtulize SQL 2008 on ESXi 4.1

[rwakeife]

We have a web application that uses SQL 2000 on the backend currently and this application is under heavy redesign, part of the redesign will be replacing the SQL server on the backend. I have recommended virtualizing it but the developers are completely against it. Here is what it would look like.

1 VM running Server 2008 R2 with 2 vCPU's and 8GB of memory, the latest version of SQL 2008 installed, this will most likely be a dedicated box with VMware installed for this SQL server. SQL and SQL's data will be installed to a drive on the SAN and will be mapped as an RDM. The drive that the old SQL server is using right now consistently runs between 100i/o ps and 200i/o ps and occasionally spikes at 2000i/o ps. The drives in the SAN are 15k SAS drives which can support up to 9000i/o ps when striped across all drives.

I have done some research but have not found many running SQL 2008 on ESXi 4.1, most of what i find is running SQL on 3.5 and were not good experiences. I would like to get some feedback from others experience with a similar setups.

Thanks much in advance

[AndreTheGiant]

From VI 3.x to vSphere 4.x there are a lot of enhanchment on workloads like DMBS.

So do not worry too much.

Andre

[ChrisDearden]

As Andre says - you'll be fine - especially as it looks like you are going to plan the storage for SQL like you would for a physical server. If you can have seperate luns for Logs / Data / tempdb and backup then you'll have no problem with disk.

[matuscak]

SQL Server likes lots of RAM. Keep in mind that MSSQL is pretty smart about trading RAM for I/O.

8GB seems pretty small to me for a busy SQL VM.    FWIW, We've got ours at 16GB of RAM

and we just kicked it to 4 vCPUs.

[idle-jam]

best practice for sql server under vmware environment, i find it a must read. http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8964

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

Please take a look at Performance and Scalability of Microsoft SQL Server on VMware vSphere 4

MS also has some recommendations/best practices for SQL Server regarding e.g disk alignment, 64k NTFS unit size, ... (see Disk Partition Alignment Best Practices for SQL Server)

André

[whiskyman201110]

I've been running SQL 2008 R2 virtualized on ESX 4.1 for a few months now.  No Issues to speak of.  Except for figuring out how to get it backed up.  Currnetly using VCB for this but Im testing other products right now.

Performance is great, although I only have about 50 users of this particular SQL instance.  4GB of RAM, 2 X logical CPUS and win2k8 R2.

[CSHAW78]

You will have no problems. Get your storage right and your laughing.

Here are a few pointers..

     Get the memory correct. (SQL will take all it can but you don't want to give too much as this can effect HA, so get so get the balance right)

     Watch the number of vCPU's (more isn't always best)

     64K alignment makes a big difference on I/O. Ensure your RDM are 64K aligned..

     Different LUN's for Logs , DB , Etc

     Watch the queue depth on the HBA. Start with 32 (default) and change to 64 if required..

[Buck1967]

I agree with pretty much what everyone has stated. Sizing out a virtual is not a lot differnt than the same planning you'd do for the physical. I have virtualized quite a few SQL and Oracle servers. Only thing is I do not use RDMs.

Maybe I should read the best practices document? 

Buck