Hey folks! I'm looking for some advice on whether my storage setup for a SQL Server VM on VMware could be causing performance issues. Here's what I've got: my VM has a 1TB virtual disk, which I've divided into 5 volumes. These volumes are combined into a single dynamic volume that stores all my SQL data files (MDF, NDF, and LDF). I'm worried about a few things: first, does using dynamic volumes add enough overhead to negatively impact SQL performance, especially during heavy transactions? Second, could this setup lead to increased fragmentation and slower read/write speeds over time? Third, given that I'm still working off a single virtual drive, might I be introducing I/O bottlenecks? Lastly, would it make sense to switch to a basic disk or spread out the data and log files across separate virtual disks for better performance? Any insights or tips from those who've dealt with similar setups would be super helpful! Thanks!
1 Answer
I suggest keeping it simple. If your disks are all in one VMDK, there's no real benefit to making it a dynamic volume. I'd avoid overly complicating your setup unless absolutely necessary. If you do have multiple RDM disks, then you could think about creating a dynamic volume. Just remember, simplicity often translates to better performance.
Thanks for the advice! So it sounds like I should avoid the dynamic volume if it's already one VMDK. Got it.