DOCSLIB.ORG

Virtualization Performance

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Virtualization Performance MAXIMIZING SQL SERVER VIRTUALIZATION PERFORMANCE Maximizing Contents Maximizing Host CPU and Memory 2 Guest VM Configuration Guidelines 4 Using SSDs 6 Revving Up VMs with the SQL Server 2014 In- Virtualization Performance Memory OLTP Engine 8 Virtualization on the NEC Express5800 9 Predictable Network Performance with ProgrammableFlow 11 Summary 12 By Michael Otey Without a doubt, performance is the database professional’s number one concern when it comes to virtualizing Microsoft SQL Server. While virtualizing SQL Server is nothing new, even today there are some people who still think that SQL Server is too resource-intensive to virtualize. That’s definitely not the case. However, there are several tips and best practices that you need to follow to achieve optimum per- formance and availability for your virtual SQL Server instances. In this whitepaper, you’ll learn about the best practices, techniques, and server platform for virtualiz- ing SQL Server to obtain the maximum virtualized database performance. In the first part of this whitepaper, you’ll learn SPONSORED BY about some of the best practices for configur- ing your virtualization host’s central process- ing unit (CPU), memory, and storage. Next, you’ll learn about the best practices for config- uring a guest virtual machine (VM) to run SQL Server. You’ll see best practices for configur- ing virtual CPUs and using dynamic memory. You’ll also learn about using virtual hard disks (VHDs), configuring SQL Server VM storage, 1 MAXIMIZING SQL SERVER VIRTUALIZATION PERFORMANCE and using solid state disks (SSDs) with your SQL Server VMs. Then you’ll see how you can maximize SQL Server 2014 online transaction processing (OLTP) applica- tion performance by taking advantage of the new In-Memory OLTP feature. The second part of this whitepaper will cover some of the practical implementation details required to get the best performance for your SQL Server VMs. Although the specific configuration steps are vital, it’s equally important to select the right virtual- ization platform to provide the scalability and reliability that your organization needs to meet its service level agreements (SLAs). In this section, you’ll learn about using the NEC Express5800/A2000 Series Server as a virtualization platform. Here you’ll see how its Capacity OPTimization (COPT) feature and high random-access memory (RAM) capacity enable it to support dense virtualization workloads. Then you’ll see how NEC’s ProgrammableFlow Network Suite and PF1000 virtual switch integrate with Microsoft Hyper-V and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) to provide predictable network bandwidth for your business-critical applications. As a general rule for the best performance in your tier 1 VMs, you should plan for a 1:1 ratio of virtual CPUs and physical cores in the system. Maximizing Host CPU and Memory Making sure the host is correctly configured is one of the most fundamental aspects for optimizing your virtualization environment. If your host lacks the processing power, RAM, or network bandwidth to run your VMs, you’ll never achieve the performance that you need for your tier 1 applications. First, the host has to be sized adequately to run the workloads of all of the VMs that will be simultaneously active. To plan for the proper host capacity, you should use Performance Monitor to create a performance baseline for the workload you intend to virtualize by measur- ing the peak and average CPU and memory utilization. This workload can be run- ning on a VM, or it can be a physical installation that you plan to migrate to a VM. Aggregating these values for all the different servers that you want to run on your virtualization host will tell you the base processing power and RAM that’s needed. As a general rule for the best performance in your tier 1 VMs, you should plan for 2 MAXIMIZING SQL SERVER VIRTUALIZATION PERFORMANCE a 1:1 ratio of virtual CPUs and physical cores in the system. While nothing pre- vents you from overcommitting the CPUs for either Hyper-V or VMware vSphere, matching you physical cores to your virtual CPUs will ensure that you always have computing power for that workload. When you’re planning the number of virtual CPUs to use in the guest, be sure to remember that the maximum number of virtual CPUs supported can vary depending on the guest OS. Both Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V and vSphere 5.5 provide support for hosts with up to 320 cores and VMs with up to 64 virtual CPUs. Next, while you’re planning your host’s computing resources, you should make sure that the host supports Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) and Non-Uni- form Memory Access (NUMA). Most modern servers from tier 1 vendors provide these features, but they might not be present if you’re considering using an older hardware platform for virtualization. Both are very important for VM scalability. SLAT has different names, depending on the CPU manufacturer. Intel’s version is The host memory is the next most important consideration after the host’s CPU support. called Extended Page Tables (EPT) and AMD calls it Rapid Virtualization Indexing (RVI). SLAT allows the processor to directly handle the translation of guest virtual addresses to host physical addresses without the need for the hypervisor to keep track of a shadow page table, thereby reducing the load on the hypervisor for every guest VM. NUMA support allows NUMA-aware applications like SQL Server to opti- mize threads in high-speed memory that’s owned (should this be owned?) by a local processor. The latest version of Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V and vSphere 5.5 both provide NUMA support for guest VMs. The host memory is the next most important consideration after the host’s CPU support. First, make sure that you don’t allocate all the available host physical RAM to the VM. Plan to keep about 1GB of memory reserved for the host to manage the running VMs. To prepare for future scalability requirements, it’s a best practice to select a host system that supports hot-add RAM. RAM is typically the limiting factor 3 MAXIMIZING SQL SERVER VIRTUALIZATION PERFORMANCE to how many VMs you can run simultaneously, and hot-add RAM enables you to upgrade the host without incurring any downtime. Windows Server 2012/R2 sup- ports hot-add RAM but you should be aware that hot-add RAM is not supported in every server hardware platform. You should be sure to look for this capability when evaluating virtualization server platforms. Making sure that there’s adequate network bandwidth for your production work- loads is the next critical step in the virtualization’s host configuration. Trying to funnel all the network traffic for your VMs through too few host network interface cards (NICs) is a common virtualization configuration mistake. You can use Perfor- mance Monitor to get an idea of your aggregated network bandwidth requirements just like you did to estimate the host’s CPU and memory requirements. In addition, you should plan for one dedicated NIC for management purposes as well as one dedicated NIC for live migration or vMotion. This will help to separate the network traffic required by these management tasks from your production workloads. Finally, you should plan for the host’s OS to be installed on a separate storage location from the guest VHDs or virtual machine disks (VMDKs). More details about guest VM storage is presented in the following section. In addition, if you’re running anti-virus (AV) software on the host, be sure to exclude the VMs from AV scanning. AV scans will impact the performance of the VM, which is something that you want to avoid for your tier 1 applications. Any AV scanning should occur within the VM guest. One of the most important guest configuration guidelines is to be sure to provide enough memory for the guest. Guest VM Configuration Guidelines One of the most important guest configuration guidelines is to be sure to provide enough memory for the guest. This is especially true if the guest is running a database application like SQL Server or Microsoft SharePoint. As a general rule of thumb, the more memory you can give SQL Server VMs the better—up to a point. The actual requirements depend on the application and workload. One best 4 MAXIMIZING SQL SERVER VIRTUALIZATION PERFORMANCE practice is to take advantage of the hypervisor’s ability to support dynamic memory. Both Hyper-V and vSphere can take advantage of dynamic memory. Microsoft fully supports running SQL Server with dynamic memory to increase server consolida- tion ratios and increase database performance. One best performance practice with dynamic memory is to avoid setting a maximum ceiling and to let the VM expand the memory if the VM experiences memory pressure. When you create a guest VM, you have three basic choices for VHD types. When you create a guest VM, you have three basic choices for VHD types. Microsoft and VMware each have slightly different names for these different VHD formats, but they’re essentially the same: fixed virtual disks, dynamic disks, and differenc- ing disks. Fixed virtual disks provide the best performance, but they also require the most disk storage. Fixed virtual disks provide almost the same performance as native Direct Attached Storage (DAS). Dynamic disks are slightly slower and require much less storage than fixed virtual disks. However, the hypervisor will expand dynamic disks when they need more stor- age, and the execution of the VM is paused during this process. You would typically use fixed virtual disks to avoid this situation for business-critical SQL Server instances.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Comparing Systems Using Sample Data
    Operating System and Process Monitoring Tools Arik Brooks, [email protected] Abstract: Monitoring the performance of operating systems and processes is essential to debug processes and systems, effectively manage system resources, making system decisions, and evaluating and examining systems. These tools are primarily divided into two main categories: real time and log-based. Real time monitoring tools are concerned with measuring the current system state and provide up to date information about the system performance. Log-based monitoring tools record system performance information for post-processing and analysis and to find trends in the system performance. This paper presents a survey of the most commonly used tools for monitoring operating system and process performance in Windows- and Unix-based systems and describes the unique challenges of real time and log-based performance monitoring. See Also: Table of Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Real Time Performance Monitoring Tools 2.1 Windows-Based Tools 2.1.1 Task Manager (taskmgr) 2.1.2 Performance Monitor (perfmon) 2.1.3 Process Monitor (pmon) 2.1.4 Process Explode (pview) 2.1.5 Process Viewer (pviewer) 2.2 Unix-Based Tools 2.2.1 Process Status (ps) 2.2.2 Top 2.2.3 Xosview 2.2.4 Treeps 2.3 Summary of Real Time Monitoring Tools 3. Log-Based Performance Monitoring Tools 3.1 Windows-Based Tools 3.1.1 Event Log Service and Event Viewer 3.1.2 Performance Logs and Alerts 3.1.3 Performance Data Log Service 3.2 Unix-Based Tools 3.2.1 System Activity Reporter (sar) 3.2.2 Cpustat 3.3 Summary of Log-Based Monitoring Tools 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Solarwinds Web Performance Monitor Administrator Guide
    ADMINISTRATOR GUIDE Web Performance Monitor Version 2.2.2 Last Updated: Monday, June 11, 2018 ADMINISTRATOR GUIDE: WEB PERFORMANCE MONITOR © 2018 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved. This document may not be reproduced by any means nor modified, decompiled, disassembled, published or distributed, in whole or in part, or translated to any electronic medium or other means without the prior written consent of SolarWinds. All right, title, and interest in and to the software, services, and documentation are and shall remain the exclusive property of SolarWinds, its affiliates, and/or its respective licensors. SOLARWINDS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS, OR OTHER TERMS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, ON THE DOCUMENTATION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION NONINFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. IN NO EVENT SHALL SOLARWINDS, ITS SUPPLIERS, NOR ITS LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF SOLARWINDS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. The SolarWinds, SolarWinds & Design, Orion, and THWACK trademarks are the exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC or its affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks, and logos may be common law marks or are registered or pending registration. All other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification purposes
    [Show full text]
  • Performance Monitor
    PeopleTools 8.57: Performance Monitor March 2020 PeopleTools 8.57: Performance Monitor Copyright © 1988, 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This software and related documentation are provided under a license agreement containing restrictions on use and disclosure and are protected by intellectual property laws. Except as expressly permitted in your license agreement or allowed by law, you may not use, copy, reproduce, translate, broadcast, modify, license, transmit, distribute, exhibit, perform, publish, or display any part, in any form, or by any means. Reverse engineering, disassembly, or decompilation of this software, unless required by law for interoperability, is prohibited. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice and is not warranted to be error-free. If you find any errors, please report them to us in writing. If this is software or related documentation that is delivered to the U.S. Government or anyone licensing it on behalf of the U.S. Government, then the following notice is applicable: U.S. GOVERNMENT END USERS: Oracle programs, including any operating system, integrated software, any programs installed on the hardware, and/or documentation, delivered to U.S. Government end users are "commercial computer software" pursuant to the applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation and agency-specific supplemental regulations. As such, use, duplication, disclosure, modification, and adaptation of the programs, including any operating system, integrated software, any programs installed on the hardware, and/or documentation, shall be subject to license terms and license restrictions applicable to the programs. No other rights are granted to the U.S. Government. This software or hardware is developed for general use in a variety of information management applications.
    [Show full text]
  • Windows NT Network Management: Reducing Total Cost of Ownership - 9 - Performance Monitoring
    Windows NT ...: Reducing Total Cost of Ownership - Chapter 9 - Performance Monitorin Page 1 of 13 [Figures are not included in this sample chapter] Windows NT Network Management: Reducing Total Cost of Ownership - 9 - Performance Monitoring AN OLD ADAGE SAYS, "IF YOU can’t measure it, you can’t manage it." Even if you can measure something, how can you tell if your changes are making a difference if you don’t have baseline information? It’s important to monitor a server’s or work- station’s performance to maximize your investment in these tools. If a user complains that her computer is too slow, you often need more information to fix the problem. For example, if the problem is loading Web pages on a computer using an analog modem, the modem is probably limiting the system’s performance. However, if the computer is an older model, certain operations may wait for the CPU to finish processing. In this case, a complete system upgrade may be the best solution. The usefulness of performance monitoring goes far beyond handling user expectations. A network and systems administrator can use information obtained by analyzing the operations of existing hardware, software, and networking devices to predict the timing of upgrades, justify the cost of replacing and upgrading devices, and assist in troubleshooting. Performance monitoring ultimately reduces TCO and is a vital part of managing any IT environment. Performance monitoring helps answer important questions about your current environment. For example, you may want to know which activity specifically uses the most resources in your environment. If you determine that it is loading Web pages, then upgrading the RAM or the CPU speed of client machines may not help much.
    [Show full text]
  • Computer Training Options Click Here
    Your Total Training Resource Microsoft® Windows 10® Learn how to perform management, wide varieties of operations, run myriads of built-in programs and maintenance tools of Windows 10. Perform managerial and maintenance commands and features. Learn about Windows essentials, tips and tricks, Managing files and folders on local, network and cloud storage areas like OneDrive. Learn how to customize the Windows environment to personalize the system to work best for you. Work with Cortana to control your computer with voice commands. The modules for Windows 10 are as follows: Module 1 – Learn All the Essential Features of Windows 10 To Schedule / Need Additional Information To schedule sessions, receive more information or for questions/clarifications contact us at: Email: Ken Keller at [email protected] or Dean Carroll at [email protected] or Phone: (630) 495-0505 or (800) 869-7497. To see a complete list of our current computer training options click here. 101 W. 22nd Street, Suite 100 630-495-0505 Lombard, IL 60148 630-495-1321 Fax www.c-kg.com Your Total Training Resource Module 1 – Learn All the Essential Features of Windows 10 • This comprehensive course covers everything you Edge browser, and work with Mail, Calendars, and need to know to install Windows, customize it to People (aka contacts). your liking, and start working with files and • Plus, learn about sharing via a home network, applications. multiuser configurations, security and privacy, and • See how to manage folders, use Cortana to search troubleshooting Windows. and navigate, browse the web with the new Microsoft Management and Maintenance: • Learn how to configure updates, monitor events and • Reviewing event logs.
    [Show full text]
  • Performance Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2012 R2
    Performance Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2012 R2 Copyright information This document is provided "as-is". Information and views expressed in this document, including URL and other Internet website references, may change without notice. Some examples depicted herein are provided for illustration only and are fictitious. No real association or connection is intended or should be inferred. This document does not provide you with any legal rights to any intellectual property in any Microsoft product. You may copy and use this document for your internal, reference purposes. This document is confidential and proprietary to Microsoft. It is disclosed and can be used only pursuant to a nondisclosure agreement. © 2012 Microsoft. All rights reserved. Internet Explorer, Microsoft, TechNet, Windows, and Excel are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Contents Performance Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2012 R2 ...................................................8 Performance Tuning for Server Hardware ................................................................................9 See Also .............................................................................................................................9 Server Hardware Performance Considerations .........................................................................9 See Also ........................................................................................................................... 14
    [Show full text]
  • Monitor and Maintain a Multi-User Networked Operating System 114053
    Monitor and maintain a multi-user networked operating system 114053 PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD This unit standard is intended To provide proficient knowledge of the areas covered For those working in, or entering the workplace in the area of Data Communications & Networking People credited with this unit standard are able to: Monitor the performance of a multi-user networked operating system Resolve problems with a multi-user networked operating system Maintain a multi-user networked operating system. The performance of all elements is to a standard that allows for further learning in this area. LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING The credit value of this unit is based on a person having prior knowledge and skills to: Install and configure a multi-user networked operating system. Module 4 – Operating system support skills Author: LEARNER MANUAL Rel Date: 27/01/2018 Rev Date: 01/06/2023 Doc Ref: 48573 LM Mod 4 v-1 PAGE 55 INDEX Competence Requirements Page Unit Standard 114053 alignment index Here you will find the different outcomes explained which you need to be 57 proved competent in, in order to complete the Unit Standard 114053. Unit Standard 114053 59 Monitor the performance of a multi-user networked operating system 62 Resolve problems with a multi-user networked operating system 68 Maintain a multi-user networked operating system 84 Self-assessment Once you have completed all the questions after being facilitated, you need to check the progress you have made. If you feel that you are competent in the areas mentioned, you may tick the blocks, if however you feel that you 94 require additional knowledge, you need to indicate so in the block below.
    [Show full text]
  • This Application Note Explains How to Set up Your Windows Performance Monitor to Log System Information in the Event of a Crash Or Memory Leak
    GENESIS32 – Setting Up the Windows Performance Monitor October 2013 Description: This Application Note explains how to set up your Windows Performance Monitor to log system information in the event of a crash or memory leak. OS Requirement: Win 2000, XP Pro, Server 2003, Vista, Server 2008, Windows 7 General Requirement: Administrative access to the computer Why Use the Performance Monitor? The performance monitor that comes with Windows can be useful in debugging application crashes and detecting memory leaks. You can set the performance monitor to log information about the health of your computer, and this information can help determine what is causing a crash or memory leak. Setting up a Performance Log for Windows 2000, XP Pro, and Server 2003 1. Go to Start Settings Control Panel Administrative Tools Performance. Performance Logs and Alerts 2. Expand , right-click Counter Logs, and choose New Log Settings. Figure 2 - Add Counters Dialog 6. Click Add (nothing will visibly happen), and then Close. 7. Set the Interval and Units appropriately. The shorter the interval the more data you will collect, but the larger hit you will take to your system’s overall performance. Select a long interval if you do not know when the problem will occur or you know it will not occur for a while. Select a shorter interval if the problem is frequent or will happen soon. If you are unsure, a good default setting is every 1 minute. Figure 1 - New Log Settings 3. Enter a name for your log into the dialog box and click OK. 4. Click Add Counters.
    [Show full text]
  • SQL Server Monitor
    NNeettwwoorrkk MMoonniittoorr User Guide Version R93 English December 1, 2016 Copyright Agreement The purchase and use of all Software and Services is subject to the Agreement as defined in Kaseya’s “Click-Accept” EULATOS as updated from time to time by Kaseya at http://www.kaseya.com/legal.aspx. If Customer does not agree with the Agreement, please do not install, use or purchase any Software and Services from Kaseya as continued use of the Software or Services indicates Customer’s acceptance of the Agreement.” ©2016 Kaseya. All rights reserved. | www.kaseya.com Contents Network Monitor Overview 1 Installation 3 Pre-Installation Checklist .......................................................................................................................... 4 Network Monitor Module Minimum Requirements ..................................................................................... 4 Server Sizing ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Installing a New Instance of Network Monitor R93 .................................................................................... 5 Migration of KNM standalone to KNM integrated ...................................................................................... 6 Configuration Summary ........................................................................................................................... 7 Management Interface 9 Getting Started......................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Computer Performance
    Computer Performance macOS macOS is Apple’s operating system for all Mac devices. For more information about macOS visit the macOS Apple Page. About This Mac This dialog shows you basic information about the manufacture date and hardware of your Mac. Click the Apple icon at the top left of the screen on the menu bar. Click About This Mac. The dialog window with basic system information will pop up. Click the System Report button for more detailed information for the advanced user. Activity Monitor Similar to Task Manager for PC, Activity Monitor displays every program running on your Mac. You can manage these running programs and identify how they are affecting your Mac’s performance. For more information visit Activity Monitor Support. Uninstall Unnecessary Applications One simple way to clear disk space and keep your computer running smoothly is to uninstall applications you don’t need or aren’t using. NOTE: Make sure you know what the application function is before you delete it, some applications are key to keeping your computer functioning properly. Find the list of applications: Open Finder → Applications (left side panel) How to Uninstall Applications on Mac Windows Windows is Microsoft’s operating system for PCs. For more information about Windows visit the Microsoft Windows Page. System Information Windows also has a basic system information dialog, similar to About This Mac (OS Version, Processor, Memory, 32/64bit info) Right click the This PC Icon on your Desktop and Click Properties. If it isn't there, search "This PC" in the Search Box on your Taskbar.
    [Show full text]
  • Intel® Cache Acceleration Software for Windows* Quick Start Guide
    Intel® Cache Acceleration Software (Intel® CAS) for Windows* Quick Start Guide June 2015 Revision 001 Order Number: 332550-001US Intel® Cache Acceleration Software Intel may make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice. Designers must not rely on the absence or characteristics of any features or instructions marked "reserved" or "undefined". Intel reserves these for future definition and shall have no responsibility whatsoever for conflicts or incompatibilities arising from future changes to them. The information here is subject to change without notice. Do not finalize a design with this information. No computer system can provide absolute security. Requires an enabled Intel® processor, enabled chipset, firmware and/or software optimized to use the technologies. Consult your system manufacturer and/or software vendor for more information. Intel technologies’ features and benefits depend on system configuration and may require enabled hardware, software or service activation. Performance varies depending on system configuration. Check with your system manufacturer or retailer or learn more at intel.com. The products described in this document may contain design defects or errors known as errata which may cause the product to deviate from published specifications. Current characterized errata are available on request. Contact your local Intel sales office or your distributor to obtain the latest specifications and before placing your product order. Copies of documents which have an order number and are referenced in this document, or other Intel literature, may be obtained by calling 1-800-548-4725, or go to: http://www.intel.com/design/literature.htm All products, computer systems, dates, and figures specified are preliminary based on current expectations, and are subject to change without notice.
    [Show full text]
  • Performance Monitor Objects
    4620-1 appA.f.qc 10/28/99 12:34 PM Page 751 Appendix A Performance Monitor Objects s discussed in Chapter 18, this appendix provides you with selected A Performance Monitor object:counter definitions. I’ve only provided the core object:counters here, in the interest of time and space, but also according to their importance. To be honest, most of the object:counters I have omitted are not used by Windows 2000 Server administrators and engineers. What I’ve attempted to do is only list the definitions and explanations for the object:counters you are likely to use in the management of your Windows 2000 Server network. However, exceptions and additions exist. The objects for which counters are defined in this appendix include the following: I Cache I Logical Disk I Memory I Network Interface I Network Segment I Objects I Physical Disk I Process I Processor I Redirector I Server Work Queues I System I Thread Third-party ISVs have long taken advantage of Performance Monitor in several ways. First, during the software application development cycle, ISVs use Performance Monitor to monitor the health and performance of the Windows 2000 Server machine and network. This not only enables them to see that their development environment is either running optimally or similar to that of their customers, but it also enables them to see how their software applications are impacting the system. Second, the ISVs typically write object:counters that are unique to their software application, which they run as part of Performance Monitor. Here again, this enables them to monitor and 4620-1 appA.f.qc 10/28/99 12:34 PM Page 752 752 Appendixes I I optimize their software application during the development cycle.
    [Show full text]