SQL Server 2000 Consolidation: a business case

In short, despite the sharp rise in performance, availability, and reach, the new landscape does not

tie up any additional administrative resources. Moreover, consolidation from eight servers to two has

reduced cost of ownership and administrative costs.

Since migrating from a 32-bit architecture to the 64-bit HP Integrity rx5670 Server platform, PAPST

has realized a quantum leap in application performance. But just as important for PAPST is the

platform’s smooth growth path. HP Integrity servers are “future-proof,” designed to scale to twice the

current levels of performance and capacity. Windows Server 2003 ensures solid investment

protection as well, scaling both up and out.

In short, this flexible, scalable architecture has enabled PAPST to build its own Adaptive Enterprise, in

which business and IT are synchronized to capitalize on change. The architecture can be adapted to

PAPST’s changing needs without major investments or new building blocks.

What is consolidation?

In general terms, consolidation is simply the process of condensing multiple physical servers,

applications, and workloads into a smaller number of physical servers while providing an equal or

better level of functionality and service. While consolidation can be performed at different levels of

the infrastructure, such as Windows Server, Exchange Server, and so on, this white paper focuses on

consolidation as it relates to SQL Server databases and instances on HP Integrity servers. When

applied to the SQL Server environment, the resulting consolidation can assume one or more of the

following forms:

• Single instance—where multiple databases and/or instances are consolidated onto one SQL Server

instance

• Multiple instances—where multiple databases and/or instances are consolidated onto more than

one SQL Server instance on a single or multiple server setup

• High-availability instance—where multiple databases and/or instances are consolidated onto one

or more clustered SQL Server instances (This is designed specifically for applications that require

the highest levels of availability.)

A complex enterprise environment will use a combination of the consolidation forms listed above,

making the consolidation more challenging to execute. A poorly designed and executed consolidation

can lead to potential single points of failure (SPOFs), which can affect business continuity and

performance. Consolidations are complex and highly involved processes that should take into account

every aspect of the organization’s business requirements, including disaster recovery, high

availability, long-term scalability, and security. This paper proposes a proven methodology and

process for performing a successful consolidation that can be used in small, medium, and large

enterprise environments.