Should SS2005 components be on same or separate servers?

[SQLBill]

I am doing research on SQL Server 2005 and have not yet found any definitive answers to the question:

Should the separate components/services (Database, Analysis, Reporting, and SSIS) be on the same server or on separate servers.

While I continue to research this and try to find appropriate documentation, has anyone tested this? What did you find out? Has anyone seen any white papers, other documentation about best practices on installing the different components/services?

-SQLBill




The following is part of my signature block and is only intended to be informational.
Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[RiverGuy]

I haven't seen any white papers on it, but of course to separate them out requires more licenses which in some cases limits the decision. Also, since SSRS requires IIS, some IT departments may find it to be a security risk to turn on IIS for a data-sensitive production database.

 

[mrdenny]

I like to break everything up. SQL and SSAS are both memory and CPU hogs. At the very least they should be seperate. Especially as there isn't really any way to control how much RAM SSAS uses. (You can give it memory settings but it will ignore them as it sees fit.)

SSIS if used heavly I'll stick on a seperate server so that the CPU load doesn't impact the database. If it's not being used that much I'll run it on the same box.

SSRS I'll always put on a seperate box. For two reasons.
1. I don't want IIS on the SQL Server.
2. If I need to setup an SSRS farm, I don't want to have move SSRS off of the SQL Server first.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

My Blog

 

[SQLBill]

Thank you both for your input. You have been very helpful with my research of this.

-SQLBill

The following is part of my signature block and is only intended to be informational.
Posting advice: FAQ481-4875