Setting up sql server 2000 enterprise into 2003 cluster

[Luvsql]

I was wondering if anyone could give me some guidance on the best way to configure the RAID for our hard drives when considering clusters. Our 2 2003 servers both have 2 36Gb drives. For our data, we have a Compaq DL380 smart array cluster storage with 6 x 146Gb drives. We need our Sql data and our file sharing on the data drives, but am unsure of where/what RAID the sql logs should be. It is always recommended to separate the transaction logs from the database files, but if it's in a cluster, how can they be separated and on a different RAID (ie RAID 5 or 10 for data and 0 or 1 for the sql logs).

Any guidance or white papers you have found would be most appreciated!

 

[Luvsql]

One other thing I'm having trouble getting my head around is what's recommended for the quorum and how to configure it within our disk arrays. ?

 

[XPDude]

Firstly make you Quorum 1GB RAID 1.

Choose your RAID configuration for your data, 5 or 10, and create a drive for it, then create a seperate drive for your logs at RAID1.

You will include both these drives in your SQL Virtual Server and when you come to performing the install you will be given the option to select them seperately. When the VS fails over all disks will go with it.

 

[Luvsql]

If we only have 6 physical disks (146Gb each), that would mean we need 3 for a RAID 5 for our data, but also require a good 200Gb for our user's files (separate from SQL) which should also be on a RAID 5. It doesn't look like we can add a RAID 1 to this configuration.

Would we lose significant performance if we put 3 drives in RAID 5 for our user data, then the other 3 into another RAID 5 for our sql data/logs. I know that logs should be RAID 1, but we can't split 3 physical drives into a RAID 5 and RAID 1.

 

[micronmega]

The difficult part of this one is the size of the drives. You really can't split them up into seperate raids, you'd be wasting a ton of space. So you're probably going to end up with your DB and Log files on the same physical raid drive, but on a different logical drive. I would suggest thinking about making one raid 5 partitition, and one raid 1 partition, then carve it out from there. It would be wise to leave one drive as a hot spare.

So your raid 5 would be for user files, and your raid 1 would be for quorum, logs, and DB files. Splitting it up allows you to move the file share group to server B and allow server A to concentrate on SQL.

Also! if you are going to make seperate logical drives for the logs, you'll need to install the virtual server, then take the sql resource offline, go to properties and add the drive you want the logs to be on as a dependincy, without that sql will only see the drive that you installed the data to.

 

[Luvsql]

We've decided to purchase a couple smaller drives in order to put those into RAID 1 for our sql logs and quarum db. This would yield:

3 x 146Gb in RAID 5 for our users' data
3 x 146Gb in another RAID 5 array for our sql data
2 x 36Gb in RAID 1 for our sql logs and quorum (two partitions Q for quorum and one for logs).

Would this be the most optimal for both cluster and SQL instead of having to throw all sql data, logs and cluster into one RAID 5?