[sims] SIMS server issues

[Orbit1705]

Hi all,

 

We are a large school with 2000+ students and we are getting alot of slowdown on the SIMS server

 

Just wondered if any of you guys run a similar site, if so, what server hardware do you use, what OS and version of SQL are you running?

 

How do you find it?

 

Thanks

 

Andy

[jamesfed]

Could we get a bit of an idea as to your current server spec as well?

[Orbit1705]

Hi,

 

We currently run a HP Proliant DL160 G6 with an intel Xeon 5650 2.66Ghz processor and 8GB RAM. we use Server 2003 and SQL2008.

 

Thanks

[jamesfed]

What is your Hard Drive config like as well - any RAID cache?

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

We currently run a HP Proliant DL160 G6 with an intel Xeon 5650 2.66Ghz processor and 8GB RAM. we use Server 2003 and SQL2008.

 

Thanks

 

Is that server 2003 x64?

[Orbit1705]

Not sure what RAID setup it is, i will check.

[jinnantonnixx]

Specs aren't everything, it's best to take time and configure the server according to best practices.

 

In the first instance though, check out Activity Monitor from SQL Manager (Right-click the server>Activity Monitor). This is an excellent place to start. If your lucky, something will jump out.

 

Key things to check are Processes, also check if you can see anything under 'Block by'. Look at 'Recent Expensive Queries', this might shed some light on what's making your server busy.

Edited May 1, 2012 by jinnantonnixx

[Orbit1705]

Server 2003 32

[Mcshammer_dj]

Server 2003 32

 

which version of server cause unless it is enterprise you are only ever going to be using 4 gb of that Ram

[Mcshammer_dj]

take a look at the resources and see how much memory is being used by SQL

[jinnantonnixx]

I think we all agree you're hampering yourself with an old 32 bit OS.

[FN-GM]

which version of server cause unless it is enterprise you are only ever going to be using 4 gb of that Ram

 

Even then its still not as good as it would be on x64

[Mcshammer_dj]

Even then its still not as good as it would be on x64

 

agreed

 

Ideally can you let us also know what version of SQL you are using and what service pack level

 

In Sims what products are being used ie Lesson Monitor, Discover etc and what other roles does that server have

[FN-GM]

agreed

 

Ideally can you let us also know what version of SQL you are using and what service pack level

 

In Sims what products are being used ie Lesson Monitor, Discover etc and what other roles does that server have

 

Well he will be running a x32 version of SQL so its pointless having 8GB RAM

 

In a nutshell my advice would be to migrate to Server 2008 R2 with x64 SQL

[SYNACK]

Well he will be running a x32 version of SQL so its pointless having 8GB RAM

 

In a nutshell my advice would be to migrate to Server 2008 R2 with x64 SQL

 

Not entirely pointless if it is server enterprise it will use PAE to split up system memory into pages and then it is only each process that is limited to 4GB so each SQL instance could use a whole 4GB and if there are multiple instances/databases each can use this. The issue is that then the process will still have a hard limit and also be spread across two data pages meaning a context switch to get across it which is going to add latency and complexity for no reason.

 

In short I agree, go 64bit, it is designed for this kind of thing and there is not even a current Windows Server OS that supports 32bit and there hasn't been for a couple of years now. The last 32bit version was of Server 2008 R1 and that was only recommended for testing not production, that was five years ago.