DBA Books on Database & Log File Placements

I am becoming a DBA by default; I am very good at Using BOL as a SQL
Developer, but since my company has no real DBA. I need to learn how to be a
DBA also.
Primary Area are ALL on how to setup the SQL Server.
Main Questions are the proper places to choose to install the files ( Data
Logs etc.)
I want a book that tells me the Pros and Cons on picking the file/drive
locations for
User & System Database & log Files.
Thanks for any suggested Books or Website Likes.
Tim S
Comments Inline
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com
I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org
"Tim S" <TimS@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8D8E5ACA-F922-4438-8029-375B22814EBE@.microsoft.com...
> I am becoming a DBA by default; I am very good at Using BOL as a SQL
> Developer, but since my company has no real DBA. I need to learn how to be
a
> DBA also.
> Primary Area are ALL on how to setup the SQL Server.
> Main Questions are the proper places to choose to install the files ( Data
> Logs etc.)
>
I prefer installing on disk drives. SQL seems to run faster that way.
Seriously, the criteria IN ORDER are as follows. Remember buy what you can
afford, implementing as far down the list as possible.
1) Separate Log and Data onto different physical disks. In a pinch, you
can combine SQL logs with the OS partition. Once a dedicated SQL server is
running, it should not have to page or go back to the OS disk for much.
2) Log devices should be RAID 1 or Raid 1+0. RAID 5 is a disaster for
logs. Faster disks should be used for logs if possible.
3) Data can be RAID5 but RAID 1+0 is much faster.
4) Split data and logs on different channels/controllers where possible for
failure mitigation/recovery. Use a good RAID controller with battery-backed
up cache.
5) Never, ever, ever, cluster using SCSI disks. You have to turn off
controller caching and that kills performance.
6) SAN and ISCSI are fast, but have their own set of issues.

> I want a book that tells me the Pros and Cons on picking the file/drive
> locations for
> User & System Database & log Files.
> Thanks for any suggested Books or Website Likes.
> Tim S
>
|||To add, as ldf files are sequentially modified, placing more than one ldf,
i.e., from the same database or a different one, defeats the purpose of
splitting out the log data files to their own spindle or raid-ed group of
disks.
Geoff N. Hiten wrote:[vbcol=seagreen]
> Comments Inline
>
> "Tim S" <TimS@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8D8E5ACA-F922-4438-8029-375B22814EBE@.microsoft.com...
> I prefer installing on disk drives. SQL seems to run faster that
> way.
> Seriously, the criteria IN ORDER are as follows. Remember buy what
> you can afford, implementing as far down the list as possible.
> 1) Separate Log and Data onto different physical disks. In a pinch,
> you can combine SQL logs with the OS partition. Once a dedicated SQL
> server is running, it should not have to page or go back to the OS
> disk for much. 2) Log devices should be RAID 1 or Raid 1+0. RAID 5
> is a disaster for logs. Faster disks should be used for logs if
> possible. 3) Data can be RAID5 but RAID 1+0 is much faster.
> 4) Split data and logs on different channels/controllers where
> possible for failure mitigation/recovery. Use a good RAID controller
> with battery-backed up cache.
> 5) Never, ever, ever, cluster using SCSI disks. You have to turn off
> controller caching and that kills performance.
> 6) SAN and ISCSI are fast, but have their own set of issues.
>
|||"Geoff N. Hiten" <SRDBA@.Careerbuilder.com> wrote in message
news:eW$O4b1lEHA.1356@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...[vbcol=seagreen]
> Comments Inline
> --
> Geoff N. Hiten
> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
> Senior Database Administrator
> Careerbuilder.com
> I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
> www.sqlpass.org
> "Tim S" <TimS@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8D8E5ACA-F922-4438-8029-375B22814EBE@.microsoft.com...
be[vbcol=seagreen]
> a
Data
> I prefer installing on disk drives. SQL seems to run faster that way.
> Seriously, the criteria IN ORDER are as follows. Remember buy what you
can
> afford, implementing as far down the list as possible.
> 1) Separate Log and Data onto different physical disks. In a pinch, you
> can combine SQL logs with the OS partition. Once a dedicated SQL server
is
> running, it should not have to page or go back to the OS disk for much.
> 2) Log devices should be RAID 1 or Raid 1+0. RAID 5 is a disaster for
> logs. Faster disks should be used for logs if possible.
> 3) Data can be RAID5 but RAID 1+0 is much faster.
> 4) Split data and logs on different channels/controllers where possible
for
> failure mitigation/recovery. Use a good RAID controller with
battery-backed
> up cache.
> 5) Never, ever, ever, cluster using SCSI disks. You have to turn off
> controller caching and that kills performance.
> 6) SAN and ISCSI are fast, but have their own set of issues.
>
>
sql