1. Now, finally, the Ultimate Disclaimer. This product is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. List each check separately by bank number. Batteries not included. Contents may settle during shipment. Use only as directed. No other warranty expressed or implied. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Postage will be paid by addressee. Subject to CARB approval. This is not an offer to sell securities. Apply only to affected area. May be too intense for some viewers. Do not stamp. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. Call for nutritional information. Use other side for additional listings. Printed on recycled paper. For recreational use only. Do not disturb. All models over 18 years of age. Prize not redeemable for cash value. If condition persists, consult your physician. No user-serviceable parts inside. Freshest if eaten before date on carton. To be used as a supplementary restraint system only. Always fasten your safety belt. Subject to change without notice. Times approximate. Simulated picture. Do not staple or paper clip. Price slightly higher east of Alaska. No postage necessary if mailed in the United States. Do not X-ray. Breaking seal constitutes acceptance of agreement. For off-road use only. As seen on TV. One size fits all. Many suitcases look alike. Contains a substantial amount of non-tobacco ingredients. Colors may, in time, fade. We have sent the forms which seem right for you. Magnetic media, non-returnable if seal is broken. Formatted to fit your screen. Slippery when wet. For office use only. Not affiliated with the American Red Cross. Drop in any mailbox. Edited for television. Keep cool, process promptly. Post office will not deliver without postage. List was current at time of printing. Return to sender, no forwarding order on file, unable to forward. Prolong exposure to vapors has caused cancer in laboratory animals. Not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect, error or failure to perform. Keep away from children. At participating locations only. Not the Beatles. Penalty for private use. See label for sequence. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Do not write below this line. Falling rock. Lost ticket pays maximum rate. ** - Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalnine. Your canceled check is your receipt. Add toner. Place stamp here. Use only as directed; intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling contents can be harmful or fatal. Avoid contact with skin. Road construction ahead. Open other end. Dealer participation may affect final price. May not be present in all tap water. Sanitized for your protection. Be sure each item is properly endorsed. Sign here without admitting guilt. Slightly higher west of the Mississippi. Park at your own risk. Employees and their families and friends are not eligible. Beware of dog. Contestants have been briefed on some questions before the show. Limited time offer, call now to ensure prompt delivery. You must be present to win. No passes accepted for this engagement. No purchase necessary. Processed at location stamped in code at top of carton. Shading within a garment may occur. Keep away from fire or flames. See Uniform Code of Military Justice. Replace with same type. Approved for veterans. Booths for two or more. * - Indicates a low-fat item. Check here if tax deductible. Some equipment shown is optional. Price does not include taxes. No Canadian coins. Tax, tag, and title not included in advertised price. Not recommended for children. Prerecorded for this time zone. Reproduction by mechanical or electronic means, including photocopying, is strictly prohibited. No solicitors. No alcohol, dogs or horses. No anchovies unless otherwise specified. Avoid spraying into eyes. An 18% gratuity will be added for parties of 8 or more. Do not write under this line. Restaurant package, not for resale. List at least two alternate dates. First pull up, then pull down. For qualified buyers. Call toll free before digging. Driver does not carry cash. Some of the trademarks mentioned in this product appear for identification purposes only. Record additional transactions on back of previous stub. Unit not labeled for individual sale. The following information is meant for general educational purposes only. Contents under pressure. Unix is a registered trademark of AT&T. No transfers issued until the bus comes to a complete stop. All passengers must be behind the white line while bus is in motion. Package sold by weight, not volume. Your mileage may vary. No shirt, no shoes, no service. No smoking, food, or drink. This article does not reflect the thoughts or opinions of either myself, my company, my family, my roommate, my friends, or my cat. Don't quote me on that. Don't quote me on anything. All rights reserved. You may distribute this article freely but you may not make a profit from it. Do not use near open flame. Management not responsible for loss or theft. Maximum speeding fine: $350. Terms are subject to change without notice. Illustrations are slightly enlarged to show detail. Any resemblance to actual persons or events, living or dead, is unintentional and purely coincidental. We have kosher and non- kosher foods. Do not remove this disclaimer under penalty of law. Hand wash only, tumble dry on low heat. Do not bend, fold, mutilate, or spindle. No substitutions allowed. For a limited time only. This article is void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted. Caveat emptor. Prizes are not redeemable for cash equivalent. All taxes become liability of the winner. Handicapped parking - tow zone. Product is provided "as is" without any warranties. User assumes full responsibility. An equal opportunity employer. We accept food stamps. Quantities are limited while supplies last. If any defects are discovered, do not attempt to fix them yourself, but return to an authorized service center. Use at your own risk. Parental advisory - explicit lyrics. Text may contain explicit materials some readers may find objectionable, parental guidance is advised. Keep away from sunlight. You must be 54" tall to ride this ride. Disconnect spark plug wire before servicing. Keep away from pets and small children. Limit one per family, please. No money down. No purchase necessary. You need not be present to win. Some assembly required. Do not try this at home. Instructions are included. Action figures sold separately. No preservatives added. Shown with optional equipment. Slippery when wet. Product does not really fly. Coated with food-grade vegetable, beeswax, and/or shellac-based wax or resin to maintain freshness. This product contains olestra. Safety goggles required during use. For demonstration purposes only. Sealed for your protection, do not use if safety seal is broken. Call before you dig. Not liable for damages arising from use or misuse. For external use only. If rash, irritation, redness, or swelling develops, discontinue use. WARNING: may cause cirrhosis of the liver, inflammation of the brain, heart damage, pancreatic damage, kidney damage, spleen implosion or explosion, thyroid combustion, severe nasal hair growth, blindness, eruptia, pregnancy, infertility, fecal incontinence, impotence, loss of genitalia and/or hermaphroditism, hair loss, skin blemishes, bone deformity, throat cancer, ulcers, hangnails, bladder leakage, sores, scabs, elephantiasis, hepatitis, conjunctivitis, gingivitis, appendicitis, bronchitis, and/or athlete's foot. Not recommended for children, adults, senior citizens, animals, insects, plants, or dead people. Use only with proper ventilation. Avoid extreme temperatures and store in a cool dry place. Sealed with printed foil for your protection. Keep away from open flames. Avoid contact with eyes and skin and avoid inhaling fumes. Do not puncture, incinerate, or store above 120 degrees Fahrenheit/ 49 degrees Celsius. Do not place near a flammable or magnetic source. Your email session may be monitored at the University’s discretion. Smoking this article could be hazardous to your health. The best safeguard, second only to abstinence, is the use of a condom. No salt, MSG, artificial color or flavoring added. Use type GR927 battery. If ingested, do not induce vomiting, and if symptoms persist, consult a physician. WARNING: pregnant women, the elderly, and children should avoid this product. Discontinue use if any of the following occurs: itching, vertigo, dizziness, tingling in extremities, loss of balance or coordination, slurred speech, temporary blindness, profuse sweating, or heart palpitations. May stick to certain types of skin. TexARC Contains no fruit juice. Push down, then twist. Dry clean only. UL listed. Articles are ribbed for your pleasure. Possible penalties for early withdrawal. Offer valid only at participating sites. Slightly higher west of the Rockies. Allow four to six weeks for delivery. Must be 18 to use. Warranty does not cover misuse, accident, extraterrestrial impact, lightning, floods, tornadoes, solar flares, tsunami, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, supernovas, hurricanes, other Acts of God, neglect, damage from improper or unauthorized use, incorrect line voltage and/or frequency, broken antenna or marred cabinet, missing or altered serial numbers, chemical reactions, electromagnetic radiation from nuclear blasts, sonic boom shock waves, customer adjustments that are not covered in this list, and incidents owing to an airplane crash, Divine Intervention, extraterrestrial intervention, ship sinking or taking on water, motor vehicle crashing, explosive decompression, hard vacuum, dropping the item, falling rocks, falling anything, falling on rocks, falling on anything, caustic chemicals, napalm, leaky roofs, broken glass, magnetic fields, laser or other energy weapons, sub-atomic particle bombardment, emissions of x-rays, microwave, ultraviolet, cosmic, and/or gamma rays, mud slides, forest fires, or projectiles (which may include, but are not limited to, arrows, bombs, artillery shells, missiles, bullets, snowballs, hand grenades, buckshot, BBs, flares, shrapnel, liquid-filled balloons, torpedoes, knives, stones, spears, swords, maces, pikes, clubs, morningstars, etc.). Other restrictions may apply. WARNING: Federal law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or exhibition of copyrighted motion pictures and videotapes. (Title 17, United States Code, Sections 501 and 506.3). The Federal Bureau of Investigation (Title 17, United States Code, Section 506) investigates allegations of criminal copyright infringement.(Title 17, United States Code, Section 506.) See local retailer for complete details. Standard disclaimer: The content in this slide deck is intended as a guide, and obviously isn’t going to be entirely accurate because we are comparing apples to oranges :) If you have concerns or queries drop me an e-mail. Now, finally, the Ultimate Disclaimer. This product is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. List each check separately by bank number. Batteries not included. Contents may settle during shipment. Use only as directed. No other warranty expressed or implied. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Postage will be paid by addressee. Subject to CARB approval. This is not an offer to sell securities. Apply only to affected area. May be too intense for some viewers. Do not stamp. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. Call for nutritional information. Use other side for additional listings. Printed on recycled paper. For recreational use only. Do not disturb. All models over 18 years of age. Prize not redeemable for cash value. If condition persists, consult your physician. No user-serviceable parts inside. Freshest if eaten before date on carton. To be used as a supplementary restraint system only. Always fasten your safety belt. Subject to change without notice. Times approximate. Simulated picture. Do not staple or paper clip. Price slightly higher east of Alaska. No postage necessary if mailed in the United States. Do not X-ray. Breaking seal constitutes acceptance of agreement. For off-road use only. As seen on TV. One size fits all. Many suitcases look alike. Contains a substantial amount of non-tobacco ingredients. Colors may, in time, fade. We have sent the forms which seem right for you. Magnetic media, non-returnable if seal is broken. Formatted to fit your screen. Slippery when wet. For office use only. Not affiliated with the American Red Cross. Drop in any mailbox. Edited for television. Keep cool, process promptly. Post office will not deliver without postage. List was current at time of printing. Return to sender, no forwarding order on file, unable to forward. Prolong exposure to vapors has caused cancer in laboratory animals. Not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect, error or failure to perform. Keep away from children. At participating locations only. Not the Beatles. Penalty for private use. See label for sequence. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Do not write below this line. Falling rock. Lost ticket pays maximum rate. ** - Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalnine. Your canceled check is your receipt. Add toner. Place stamp here. Use only as directed; intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling contents can be harmful or fatal. Avoid contact with skin. Road construction ahead. Open other end. Dealer participation may affect final price. May not be present in all tap water. Sanitized for your protection. Be sure each item is properly endorsed. Sign here without admitting guilt. Slightly higher west of the Mississippi. Park at your own risk. Employees and their families and friends are not eligible. Beware of dog. Contestants have been briefed on some questions before the show. Limited time offer, call now to ensure prompt delivery. You must be present to win. No passes accepted for this engagement. No purchase necessary. Processed at location stamped in code at top of carton. Shading within a garment may occur. Keep away from fire or flames. See Uniform Code of Military Justice. Replace with same type. Approved for veterans. Booths for two or more. * - Indicates a low-fat item. Check here if tax deductible. Some equipment shown is optional. Price does not include taxes. No Canadian coins. Tax, tag, and title not included in advertised price. Not recommended for children. Prerecorded for this time zone. Reproduction by mechanical or electronic means, including photocopying, is strictly prohibited. No solicitors. No alcohol, dogs or horses. No anchovies unless otherwise specified. Avoid spraying into eyes. An 18% gratuity will be added for parties of 8 or more. Do not write under this line. Restaurant package, not for resale. List at least two alternate dates. First pull up, then pull down. For qualified buyers. Call toll free before digging. Driver does not carry cash. Some of the trademarks mentioned in this product appear for identification purposes only. Record additional transactions on back of previous stub. Unit not labeled for individual sale. The following information is meant for general educational purposes only. Contents under pressure. Unix is a registered trademark of AT&T. No transfers issued until the bus comes to a complete stop. All passengers must be behind the white line while bus is in motion. Package sold by weight, not volume. Your mileage may vary. No shirt, no shoes, no service. No smoking, food, or drink. This article does not reflect the thoughts or opinions of either myself, my company, my family, my roommate, my friends, or my cat. Don't quote me on that. Don't quote me on anything. All rights reserved. You may distribute this article freely but you may not make a profit from it. Do not use near open flame. Management not responsible for loss or theft. Maximum speeding fine: $350. Terms are subject to change without notice. Illustrations are slightly enlarged to show detail. Any resemblance to actual persons or events, living or dead, is unintentional and purely coincidental. We have kosher and non- kosher foods. Do not remove this disclaimer under penalty of law. Hand wash only, tumble dry on low heat. Do not bend, fold, mutilate, or spindle. No substitutions allowed. For a limited time only. This article is void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted. Caveat emptor. Prizes are not redeemable for cash equivalent. All taxes become liability of the winner. Handicapped parking - tow zone. Product is provided "as is" without any warranties. User assumes full responsibility. An equal opportunity employer. We accept food stamps. Quantities are limited while supplies last. If any defects are discovered, do not attempt to fix them yourself, but return to an authorized service center. Use at your own risk. Parental advisory - explicit lyrics. Text may contain explicit materials some readers may find objectionable, parental guidance is advised. Keep away from sunlight. You must be 54" tall to ride this ride. Disconnect spark plug wire before servicing. Keep away from pets and small children. Limit one per family, please. No money down. No purchase necessary. You need not be present to win. Some assembly required. Do not try this at home. Instructions are included. Action figures sold separately. No preservatives added. Shown with optional equipment. Slippery when wet. Product does not really fly. Coated with food-grade vegetable, beeswax, and/or shellac-based wax or resin to maintain freshness. This product contains olestra. Safety goggles required during use. For demonstration purposes only. Sealed for your protection, do not use if safety seal is broken. Call before you dig. Not liable for damages arising from use or misuse. For external use only. If rash, irritation, redness, or swelling develops, discontinue use. WARNING: may cause cirrhosis of the liver, inflammation of the brain, heart damage, pancreatic damage, kidney damage, spleen implosion or explosion, thyroid combustion, severe nasal hair growth, blindness, eruptia, pregnancy, infertility, fecal incontinence, impotence, loss of genitalia and/or hermaphroditism, hair loss, skin blemishes, bone deformity, throat cancer, ulcers, hangnails, bladder leakage, sores, scabs, elephantiasis, hepatitis, conjunctivitis, gingivitis, appendicitis, bronchitis, and/or athlete's foot. Not recommended for children, adults, senior citizens, animals, insects, plants, or dead people. Use only with proper ventilation. Avoid extreme temperatures and store in a cool dry place. Sealed with printed foil for your protection. Keep away from open flames. Avoid contact with eyes and skin and avoid inhaling fumes. Do not puncture, incinerate, or store above 120 degrees Fahrenheit/ 49 degrees Celsius. Do not place near a flammable or magnetic source. Your email session may be monitored at the University’s discretion. Smoking this article could be hazardous to your health. The best safeguard, second only to abstinence, is the use of a condom. No salt, MSG, artificial color or flavoring added. Use type GR927 battery. If ingested, do not induce vomiting, and if symptoms persist, consult a physician. WARNING: pregnant women, the elderly, and children should avoid this product. Discontinue use if any of the following occurs: itching, vertigo, dizziness, tingling in extremities, loss of balance or coordination, slurred speech, temporary blindness, profuse sweating, or heart palpitations. May stick to certain types of skin. TexARC Contains no fruit juice. Push down, then twist. Dry clean only. UL listed. Articles are ribbed for your pleasure. Possible penalties for early withdrawal. Offer valid only at participating sites. Slightly higher west of the Rockies. Allow four to six weeks for delivery. Must be 18 to use. Warranty does not cover misuse, accident, extraterrestrial impact, lightning, floods, tornadoes, solar flares, tsunami, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, supernovas, hurricanes, other Acts of God, neglect, damage from improper or unauthorized use, incorrect line voltage and/or frequency, broken antenna or marred cabinet, missing or altered serial numbers, chemical reactions, electromagnetic radiation from nuclear blasts, sonic boom shock waves, customer adjustments that are not covered in this list, and incidents owing to an airplane crash, Divine Intervention, extraterrestrial intervention, ship sinking or taking on water, motor vehicle crashing, explosive decompression, hard vacuum, dropping the item, falling rocks, falling anything, falling on rocks, falling on anything, caustic chemicals, napalm, leaky roofs, broken glass, magnetic fields, laser or other energy weapons, sub-atomic particle bombardment, emissions of x-rays, microwave, ultraviolet, cosmic, and/or gamma rays, mud slides, forest fires, or projectiles (which may include, but are not limited to, arrows, bombs, artillery shells, missiles, bullets, snowballs, hand grenades, buckshot, BBs, flares, shrapnel, liquid-filled balloons, torpedoes, knives, stones, spears, swords, maces, pikes, clubs, morningstars, etc.). Other restrictions may apply. WARNING: Federal law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or exhibition of copyrighted motion pictures and videotapes. (Title 17, United States Code, Sections 501 and 506.3). The Federal Bureau of Investigation (Title 17, United States Code, Section 506) investigates allegations of criminal copyright infringement.(Title 17, United States Code, Section 506.) See local retailer for complete details.

2. Running SQL Server in a Virtual Machine Andrew Dugdell MVP VCP …. Senior Technical Specialist Claritiandrew@virtualserver.tv

3. A Little bit about me… Andrew Dugdell, andrew@virtualserver.tv Senior Technical Specialist Virtualization by day - Super Villain by night - Essentially this means I’m working closely with the following technologies daily: - Essentially this means I’m working closely with the following technologies daily: VMware Server VMware ESX VMware Workstation VMware Converter – old P2V Microsoft Virtual Server Microsoft VSMT Microsoft Virtual PC …and nearly every product that bolts on, plugs in, extends out, integrates and enhances these products in any way :) Parallels, Invirtus, Platespin, Surgient, (old) Akimbi, and a few others. Virtual Machine BIG User Group VirtualServer.tv VMware VI3 *

4. Agenda Virtualization of SQL in production Virtualization Primer: Hosted vs Hypervisor VM Administrivia What does not supported really mean? VM sizing and limits My findings from the field disk, consolidation, cpu, shifting hosts, clustering, resources Baselining Higher Uptime without clustering Licensing General VM health Q&A Virtualization of SQL in Dev / Test / QA *Feel free to ask questions as we go along about anything else that comes to mind.

5. Virtualization Primer Two main Vendors: VMware and Microsoft New Players: XEN, Virtual Iron, Parallels, many more…. Virtualization is an abused term, we are mostly interested in x86 virtualization All vendors have both Server Virtualization and Workstation Virtualization products Typically a Workstation product is used to author a Virtual Machine to be hosted on Server product But this rule of thumb is so very grey and blurry in today’s world. Two types of server products: Hosted and Hypervisor We will look at these in the next slide. Virtual Machines are only be going to be 70% - 95% efficient as [and compete for resources on] the physical host *Tonight we are going to focus on VMware and Microsoft

6. Virtualization Primer: Hosted Virtualization Server Software is installed on top an Operating System on top of Hardware:: VMware Server Microsoft Virtual Server Installing software on the Host Operating System is an easy (and very dumb) thing to do *Not to scale, and each Vendor has a slightly different architecture Physical Hardware Host Operating System Virtual Hardware Operating System Server Apps Virtual Machine Virtual Hardware Operating System Server Apps Virtual Machine Virtual Hardware Operating System Server Apps Virtual Machine Virtualization Software: VMware or Microsoft

7. Virtualization Primer: Hypervisor Thin piece of code separating Virtual Machines from the bare metal hardware: VMware ESX – Virtual Infrastructure 3 Microsoft Windows Server Virtualization Limited if any functionality to install software in the parent partition *Not to scale, and each Vendor has a slightly different architecture Physical Hardware Hypervisor Mgmt / Parent Partition Virtual Hardware Operating System Server Apps Virtual Machine Virtual Hardware Operating System Server Apps Virtual Machine Virtual Hardware Operating System Server Apps Virtual Machine

8. Virtualization Primer: Comparison The typical differences between Hosted and Hypervisor: Hosted - Good performance Cheap - as in free download Run on any commodity grade hardware Mess too much with the host and all the VMs suffer No oobe dynamic, move the VM if the host is busy Typically no prior virtualization policy or planning has taken place Hypervisor - Excellent performance Typically only installed on data centre grade hardware No real ability to modify the host and affect VMs Dynamic, move the VM on the fly if the host is busy An integrator will have done virtualization policy or planning *regardless of the technology, Virtual Machines are typically isolated from the host

9. Virtualization Primer: Trivia Regardless of your Vendor: The Virtual Machine will always emulate the same hardware, no matter where it is run The Virtual Machine will only be up to 95% as efficient as the physical host – not necessarily a bad thing Moving a Virtual Machine to a host with faster CPU and/or faster disk subsystem will pass that benefit into the Virtual Machine Virtual Machines are easily interchangeable between hosted and hypervisor installations Virtual Machines are more or less portable between VMware and Microsoft virtualization solutions – with a little bit of work. Virtual Machines are just a big file on a filesystem somewhere and can be easily copied and duplicated *

10. Virtualization Not Supported? This is my only rant slide *sigh* This is my only rant slide *sigh* Unsupported does not mean it does not run Just because a product isn't supported, doesn't necessarily mean people will stop using it and getting value from it :) In my world, un-supported usually means KB 897615 - your mileage may vary: KB 897615KB 897615 Windows Server System software not explicitly supported within a VM guest: KB 897614 Virtual Server supported: KB 897613 Exchange 2003 Explicitly Supported as a VM Guest: KB 320220 Operating Systems that support Virtual Server as a guest and as a host: KB 867572 Support policy for Microsoft software running in non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software : KB 897615 Third-party guest operating systems (Linux) supported with Virtual Server 2005 R2: KB 917437 Virtualization support and licensing is currently undergoing huge changes across the field. Watch this space *18 months ago there was no explicit support for virtualized Exchange; even on Microsoft Virtual Server.

11. On to why we are here Running SQL in a VM *

12. Virtual Machine Sizing Virtual Server Microsoft 1x CPU 3.6 Gb Ram 32 bit ~128 VMs No LUN support *guideline only - depends on the configuration and resources available on the host VMware Server VMware 2x CPU 2/4Gb Ram 32/64 bit ~128 VMs No LUN support ESX 3.0 VMware 4x CPU 16Gb Ram 32/64 bit ~128 VMs Raw Disk Mapping ~ 256 LUNS WSVMicrosoft 8x CPU 32Gb Ram 32/64 Bit ~  VMs Raw Disk Mapping ~ 256 LUNS Hot add RAM/ CPU/ NIC Virtual Machines run in “emulated” hardware with limitations of:

13. Virtual Machine Misconceptions Here are some common myths, busted. Anti-virus on the host, does not protect the VM A firewall on the host, does not protect the VM Patching on the host, does not protect the VM You should defragment inside your VM You can ghost / image within a VM You can even (with a little effort) restore a physical host inside a VM You should always install the VM Additions / VM Tools as they will give noticeable performance improvements *Come on don’t be shy – who hasn’t installed the additions?

14. SQL in a VM – my findings Disk Disk IO tends to be the no 1 killer Use multiple virtual disks, just like physical. Keeps queue length down and allows moving to separate physical spindles on the host Use LSI on VMware Use SCSI on Virtual Server Raw disk mapping is not faster, just better SAN replication and accessibility – eg: a physical 2 virtual cluster *

15. SQL in a VM – my findings Consolidation Existing SQL 6.5 and 7.0 boxes P2V well New SQL licensing is a good incentive to consolidate Consolidation does not always mean good performance; remember baselining Perfect for preserving OS:SQL combinations that don’t work together or aren’t supported together *

16. SQL in a VM – my findings CPU Under VMware don’t add extra CPUs just because you can – requires additional overhead on the host Some good performance gains have been achieved by using 2 smaller VMs instead of 1 larger VM *

17. SQL in a VM – my findings Shifting Hosts Typically SQL servers VMotion ok between hosts ~ 500 ms downtime SQL servers Host Cluster ~ 10 seconds Homegrown SQL client apps sometimes “complain” Know what “complains” before migrating under peak load Your mileage will vary *

18. SQL in a VM – my findings Clustering High Availability, Vmotion, Host clustering, don’t necessarily exclude the need for clustering – just reduce it You can still cluster VMs, on clustered hosts – don’t do it “just because you can” KB 910048; The operating system stops responding when you run Windows Server 2003 SP1 in a VMware environment The hotfix is now in Windows 2003 SP2; KB 914962 Windows SP2 includes various performance ‘fixes’ for both Virtualization AND SQL *

19. SQL in a VM – my findings Insufficient resources on the host VMs by design can’t freely communicate with the host It’s not an easy for a VM to tell if the host is starved for resources Baselining and stress test is important prior to commissioning the VM Use tools such as MOM or Virtual Centre *Ideally have some mechanism within your VM to see if the resources assigned to you are available to you

20. SQL in a VM – Baseline If I could go back in time I would Stress test the VM and check that peak performance is acceptable Ensure the VM is monitored when expected performance is breeched Use tools such as IOmetre, SQLIOSIM Has anyone run the database sizing tools Know the primary SQL workload Baseline when the host is running just your VM Baseline when the host is running all VMs Stress the host and test I/O latency within your SQL VM *

21. So why Virtual Machines Why would anyone want to run production SQL in a Virtual Machine? *

22. Why – Higher uptime? Moving VMs between hosts Reboots are less than 2 minutes, most Raid packs can’t power up in this time Host Clustering / High Availability Higher uptime without clustering *

23. Why – Mitigate Risk? Why do Infrastructure people like VMs? It is easier to make your Testing / DR environment indicative of production Backups, restores, snapshots, etc Replacing the host at the end of it’s lease is a no-brainer Adding RAM, CPU, Storage to a VM is a no- brainer Offline maintenance is easy It’s easier to justify a new Virtual Server, compared to a physical server *

24. VM Licensing I’m not a licensing guy New Windows R2 Licensing New Window Data Center Licensing New SQL Enterprise Licensing Check the SQLVirtualization.doc whitepaper on Microsoft Downloads [n65] Check the upcoming webcast (I’ll be there) Virtualization and SQL Server: Technologies, Best Practices and Pricing/Licensing 4/2/2007 9:00 AM (PST ) *I’m hoping for lots of changes in this space this year

25. VM administrivia VMs need maintainance as well Defrag OS + Filesysyem + Pagefile in your VM Reduce low level calls that utilise low level instructions such as MMU, TLB, Etc… Patch! Hosted Products need maintainance as well Defrag OS + Filesysyem + Pagefile on your host Do not scan or index directories with Virtual machines There is a list of items to check on my blog *

26. Virtual Machine Summary Virtual Machines aren’t necessarily a bad thing Virtual Machines have limitations, just like physical machines Virtual Machines that haven’t been baselined or stress tested is a bad thing Virtual Machines that aren’t monitored is also a bad thing – naughty too! Virtual Machines are easier to manage for operations/infrastructure guys. *

27. Virtualization of SQL in production Virtualization Primer: Hosted vs Hypervisor VM Administrivia What does not supported really mean? VM sizing and limits My findings from the field disk, consolidation, cpu, shifting hosts, clustering, resources Baselining Higher Uptime without clustering Licensing General VM health Q&A Virtualization of SQL in Dev / Test / QA *