SQL Server 2000 iSCSI Snap Server™ 18000 Characterization Prepared for SNAP Appliance by Interlink Group, INC February 16, 2005 Interlink Group, LLC 98 Inverness Drive East, Suite 150 Englewood, CO 80112 Phone: 303-542-7100 Toll Free: 888-533-1307 http://www.interlinkgroup.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................3 1.1 Document Overview ............................................................................................................................................3 1.2 Audience ..................................................................................................
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION Introduction Adaptec is the worldwide volume leader in network attached storage (NAS) products, offering its customers the successful Snap Server family of Network Attached Storage servers. These NAS solutions combine the most reliable and cost-effective technologies with industry-leading ease of integration.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION file-level access for file and print, or block-level access for database and messaging applications). • High Capacity vs. Cost – Adaptec offers terabytes of capacity at reasonable price points that create opportunities for storage optimization and centralization in organizations that were previously unable to afford such solutions. • Rapid Recovery – Adaptec has bundled industry-known software products with its offerings for rapid data recovery.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION did not have any indexes created on the columns, all read operations were complete table scans and provided a good measure of disk throughput. To test write performance under heavy conditions and understand drive performance and throughput to the Snap Server™ 18000, Interlink used DTS to copy in bulk a 3.5 million row, 35 million row, and 350 million row tables for each test configuration.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION the “L” drive (transaction log) and “G” drive (database) running on locally attached SCSI storage and compare those numbers to two separate test configurations leveraging the Snap Server™ 18000. The two specific Snap Server™ 18000 configurations included: 1. Test 1 Configuration - Logs & Database on iSCSI Disks: Using the test scripts in section 3.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION 3.4 Resiliency Test Approach In order to attain consistent results for comparison, Interlink introduced a uniform set of faults to the baseline configuration and the Test 1 configuration using the Snap Server™ 18000. Prior to executing each fault test on each of the test configurations, Interlink started a 1GB DTS write operation and then a customized performance monitor to gather metrics. each factor, and the order in which they were introduced.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION 4.1 Read & Write Tests Interlink used the built in “Performance Monitor” utility in Windows Server 2003 to monitor, log and average various system performance counters including CPU parameters, physical disk performance, and network performance. 4.1.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION Figure 3 – Test 2 Configuration Performance Test Results 4.1.3 Test 2 – Database on iSCSI Disks & Logs on Internal Direct Attached Drive To create this scenario, Interlink placed the transaction logs for these databases on the locally attached “L” drive, and placed the database files on the “I” drive. This design splits the database between locally attached storage for the transaction logs and the Snap Server for the database files.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION Figure 4 – 1GB, 10GB, and 100GB Performance Test Results
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SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION Interlink did expect the baseline configuration to outperform the two Snap Server™ 18000 test configurations since the SCSI interface and interconnect are faster than 1000Base-T Ethernet, and the SCSI Ultra-Wide drives are faster than the ATA drives in the Snap Server. However, some Test 2 performance metrics were very close and some slightly better than the baseline tests. Interlink also expected that Test 2 would outperform Test 1.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION assigned a drive letter. Create databases on this new drive letter as if the storage was connected locally. The design below illustrates a single Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 design with the Snap Server™ 18000 on a private network. Figure 5 - Conceptual Design Note: Additional servers can be implemented by connecting the server to the public network and also to the private network to use storage provided by the Adaptec iSCSI Appliance.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION 5.3.3 Database Architecture Based on the performance characterization tests and the resiliency tests, Interlink recommends placing the database transaction log files on the fastest disks possible, preferably these would be dedicated, internal disks in the server, and the database data files on the Snap Server™ 18000. Servers today come with integrated Ultra320 SCSI array controllers with support for 10,000 and 15,000 RPM Ultra320 SCSI drives.
SQL SERVER 2000 ISCSI SNAP SERVER™ 18000 CHARACTERIZATION Initiator Target Application Logical Unit SCSI SCSI iSCSI protocol iSCSI Protocol TCP/IP TCP /IP Ethernet Ethernet Network Figure 6 - iSCSI Protocol Stack Layers The initiator (usually a server) makes the application requests. These are converted (by the SCSI class driver) to SCSI commands, which are transported in command description blocks (CDBs).
