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SQL Server on SC Series arrays
6 Dell EMC SC Series: Microsoft SQL Server Best Practices | CML1057
1 SQL Server on SC Series arrays
An SC Series array provides a flexible, easy-to-manage storage platform that helps meet the demanding
uptime and performance requirements common in SQL Server environments.
1.1 Manageability
SQL Server environments are often very dynamic. An SC Series array makes it easy to adapt the storage
configuration to meet changing database requirements. Volumes can be created or expanded with very little
effort. Data can be easily moved between tiers or RAID levels. Disks can be added to increase performance
or capacity on the fly. New storage technology can be integrated when it becomes available. All of this can be
done while SQL Server remains online and available for applications.
1.2 High availability
The uptime of storage systems is more important than ever, as organizations increasingly grow dependent on
SQL Server databases. The SC Series array was designed with high availability and fault tolerance in mind.
Redundant hardware and RAID technology protect against an unplanned outage due to the failure of a
component. Maintenance tasks such as controller firmware upgrades, hardware expansions, or hardware
replacements can all be done without taking databases offline. SC Series features such as Live Migrate and
Live Volume allow workloads to be shifted between SC Series arrays with zero downtime. The result is a
storage system that rarely needs to be taken down and provides a solid foundation for SQL Server
databases.
1.3 Performance
SQL Server is an I/O-intensive application that requires high-performance storage. SC Series arrays make it
easy to leverage a large number of drives to support SQL Server workloads. Solid state drives (SSDs) can
also be integrated into an SC Series array for those environments that require extremely low latency. A
variety of connectivity options exist, including 32Gb Fibre Channel and 100Gb iSCSI, to ensure that data can
be moved quickly and efficiently between the database server and the storage. Increasing performance by
adding drives or new storage technology can be done dynamically to ensure good performance in the future.