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We're discussing options for a new server. 8 users, SBS2011, Exchange, SQL

We have one supplier recommended the following drives:

2 x 146GB SAS RAID 1 - used by the virtual host operating system

2 x 500GB SATA RAID 1 - used by the SBS servers system and data drive

2 x 146GB SAS RAID 1 - used by the SQL server

Is this a good / recommended way to structure these drives? Would we not get more performance benefit from combining the SAS drives into one big RAID10 array?

cusimar9
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  • That seems like a little bit of overkill for an SBS server supporting 8 users (even accounting for growth). – joeqwerty Mar 02 '12 at 12:47
  • I would not say we have a HIGH SQL use but when we do use it we need a fast response, so perhaps this would benefit. But I guess my question is that a RAID 10 would be faster anyway? – cusimar9 Mar 02 '12 at 12:50
  • I don't think that this meets the criteria for [answerable](http://serverfault.com/faq#dontask). There are no real performance requirements given (IOPS, throughput, etc), so any answer is just going to be a stab in the dark. – MDMarra Mar 02 '12 at 13:46

2 Answers2

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Impossible to answer - the server may be low or high loaded, depends on what sql server does.

In general, one raid means more reserves that ca nbe s hared but no dedicated performance for a specific use case.

It would relaly depend. What I would not do is get the server , though - I woudl get something with a lo more drive SLOTS so I can expand.

TomTom
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You do need to maintain separate arrays, unfortunately. This is due to the disparity in R/W patterns between data store partitions and logging partitions.

I'd do the following:

2 x 146GB SAS RAID 1 - Main operating system
2 x 500GB SATA RAID 1 - SBS servers system and data drive and SQL Logs
2 x 146GB SAS RAID 1 - SQL server Data partitions

Possibly even:

2 x 146GB SAS RAID 1 - Main operating system
2 x 146GB SAS RAID 1 - SQL server Data partitions
2 x 500GB SATA RAID 1 - SQL server Log partitions
2 x 1TB SATA RAID 1 - SBS servers system and data drive
Tom O'Connor
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  • -1. I hate to tell you, but depending on usae scenarios this may be totally wrong. 8 users on a typical SBS scenario wont see any difference. Larger loads - yes, but then you would run many many more discs to start with. – TomTom Mar 02 '12 at 14:02
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    There *are* no usage scenarios given, therefore it's best to plan for the worst-case scenario, which mine does. – Tom O'Connor Mar 02 '12 at 14:08
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    And **this** is exactly why questions like this should be close. Because there is no right answer. – MDMarra Mar 02 '12 at 14:10
  • Spend ALL The Monies! – Tom O'Connor Mar 02 '12 at 14:25