Placement of System Databases

  • I have a new SQL Server where the server is connected to a SAN but is booted from a local RAID 1 disk array.

    I've installed SQL on the C: (local storage) and have the user databases (mdf/ldf, etc) on the SAN drives as well as tempdb.

    Where should the other system databases be put? Should they be left on the C drive (Raid 1) or moved to one of the SAN drives? What's best practice here?

  • bump.

    Anyone offer some advice?

  • the correct answer here is - you don't want to start from here.

    Best practice would be to place the system databases where you want them as part of the install process. Best practice also says don't place system databases on the OS drive.

    But if performance is OK and space on the C is not a problem, and as tempdb is off the C drive, I would leave them where they are to avoid the risks and outage of moving them.

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  • Place your Mdf and LDf on SAN (system Databases) . Recomended by Microsoft also

    You can Install SQL server on Local Drives .

    Regards

  • I place my system databases on their own lun. I prefer to not risk inadvertantly filling the C drive and bringing the server down 🙂

  • george sibbald (7/19/2011)


    the correct answer here is - you don't want to start from here.

    Best practice would be to place the system databases where you want them as part of the install process. Best practice also says don't place system databases on the OS drive.

    But if performance is OK and space on the C is not a problem, and as tempdb is off the C drive, I would leave them where they are to avoid the risks and outage of moving them.

    I second this advice - moving the system databases after the fact is prone to issues. Much better to specify where the system databases should go during the installation and leave them alone.

    I also recommend using a separate small LUN for system database. When I build a server, I create a 5GB LUN for the system databases and sql logs/error logs. If the system is small enough and doesn't use tempdb heavily - I may keep tempdb on that LUN and just grow it a bit, but generally I will move it to it's own LUN.

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  • Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

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