Hi Thomas, thanks for the reply.
I got the disk space down it is the memory and horse power I'm having a
problem with.
We are a purchase the application shop and often our users have no accurate
idea how much data they will have because they don't really know the data
model they are getting, but I like the idea of the 80/20 rule that will help
me out. As I can use range estimates.
I know nothing about standard server sizes. Maybe that is what I need to
find out. We use Compaqs and maybe Compaq has some advice for me that I
could leverage. I'll have to take this angle today. I know what we have in
the shop right now and I think I can make intelligent comments on how those
servers/databases/applications are running. So maybe if I knew all the
possible combinations for memory and cpu and server model I'd be a bit more
helpful in the sizing.
Thanks again.
-----Original Message-----
From: thomas.[Email Address Removed] [mailto:thomas.[Email Address Removed] Tuesday, December 10, 2002 6:37 AM
To: Hyra, Bev A
Cc: [Email Address Removed] Re: Sizing a server
Bev,
They just need to be educated (your job) about what you need to size it.
Generally, I've gone with 3x the amount of raw data. If you want to keep
backups on disk, add more disk. If you wan to stage the data on the server
or do olap you will need more disk. You can figure out the "raw" data by
computing the sizes of the rows and multiplying by the number of the rows.
For varchar columns, they will need to tell you the average length of the
columns. Remember that nullable columns take an extra byte. Find out how
many years they want to store and then multiply that number by 3 (three
pretty accurately accounts for indexes, administrative tables and overhead,
transaction log space, temp db space. ) Usually, users balk at having to
give a number of how much space will be used in varchar columns and how many
columns per year will be put in. If they do, then you need to explain to
them that you don't have a crystal ball and if they don't know, how can they
expect you to know. Some
users say just assume the maximum for column size and give you a max number
or rows - not a realistic number - in which case, you spec out a server on
steroids. In addition to this, some vendors can be helpful in guesstimating
how much space is needed. (I know that you already tried this but they may
be more receptive when they are asked for estimates. It is wholly
reasonable to talk to the vendor of a packaged product to find out if it has
a special profile and in this time of tightening budgets, it would be
negligent not to.) A final thought - the 80/20 rule generally applies to
databases so if you can get enough RAM for 20% of your database, then it is
probable that 80% of your queries will be from cache. If it is going to be
a large database, then you won't get all that RAM but it's good policy to
let them know that the price they pay is performance. Don't forget to spec
out a backup system, a cluster if appropriate, and a hot spare if
appropriate. (find out what their
requirements are for response time, up time, etc.)
Hope this helps,
. . . Tom
On 12/09/2002 04:16:54 PM "Hyra, Bev A" wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> Does anyone know where I can find a white paper/other information on
sizing
> a server to run an sql server 2000 database for an application based on
the
> number of users, number of transactions per second you expect to need
> processed?
>
> My server group is asking me to get involved in sizing servers and
although
> the best advice I can give them is to ask the vendor of the application
what
> they say is needed to run their application, they look at me like I'm a
> moron for saying this.
>
> I need some other information to offer them as well.
>
> Thanks in advance for all replies.
>
> Bev.
>
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