NFS Datastore and Exchange 2007 VMDKs

[robertor1981]

If i have a large NFS Datastore (Ex. 1TB) does it make sense to create different VMDKs for Database and Log files for Exchange 2007? The whole datastore will run on 10 Disks. Does the performance increase if i separate the vmdks?

[VMmatty]

You won't see a difference in performance from separating out the disks if they are all going to live on the same datastore. You should have the same performance if you create a single VMDK with both database and logs or two separate VMDK files.

Using two separate VMDK files might offer you some additional options in terms of backup or management but from a performance perspective it should be the same.

[azn2kew]

For ease of management and administration, I would seperate using two VMDKs in case you need to seperate the log database to different datastores in the future. As mentioned, performance will not gain since all is inside single datastore and disk RAID spindles.

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Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

[robertor1981]

Does this apply to Storage Groups as well, performance is not gained however ease of management for created 4 VMDK for 4 Storage Groups. or should all storage groups databases be in one vmdk and all storage group logs in another vmdk.

[VMmatty · Accepted solution]

The design of your storage groups is less a consideration of virtualization and more of your specific Exchange environment. How many storage groups, users per storage group, etc, may differ depending on the specific needs of your organization. If you have the need for four storage groups, I would put all four on a single VMDK file to make things simpler. I would also create a separate VMDK file for the logs as another posted stated.

If you were to create separate disks for each one, then you would have 4 VMDKs for storage groups and 4 more for logs. The complexity of managing that alone would make it not worth it. And again since it's all on the same piece of shared storage with the same underlying spindle count your performance will be about the same.

[robertor1981]

Understood thanks for the responses

[azn2kew]

This NFS & Exchange 2007 should help you answer your designs best practices

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant