trumby Posted September 3, 2014 Report post Posted September 3, 2014 Can anyone share some pros and cons on having SQL server installed on the same server as the SCCM primary site or on a dedicated server. I'm considering a dedicated server because then our SQL team will be responsible for that server and the database. How much ram would I require for 5000 users if I was to install it on the same server? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simulacra75 Posted September 4, 2014 Report post Posted September 4, 2014 My 2 cents; If it's installed on the same server as the Primary CM12 installation then that's one less SQL license you need to worry about, CM12 comes with a SQL license bundled but only if the SQL instance is installed on the same server as your CM12 installation. I guess you could class that as a "pro" If your SQL instance is remote there is more configuration required in terms of security and setting up SQL Server Reporting Services (for CM12 reporting) can be a little head-wrecking (in my experience at least), your mileage may differ. How close are you to the SQL team? Will they give you all the resources (memory, etc) that you ask for? Will they bump it up for you at a moments notice, if you needed it? Will they give you admin access to the database itself? Since i do not know your internal organizations policies/practices these are questions you need to consider. We have a CM12 Primary with approximately 5,000 CM12 client machines (not users) and it's a VMware running Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and 16GB RAM with 2 x Intel Xeons @2.7GHz. It connects to a remote SQL instance but it's performance is very good for us. You'll need to check MS documentation to find what's right for you and your organization. Another primary does have the SQL instance locally but the number of clients on it is approximately 1,000. It's the same config as above, except it has 20GB RAM. Works fine for us also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumby Posted September 4, 2014 Report post Posted September 4, 2014 My 2 cents; If it's installed on the same server as the Primary CM12 installation then that's one less SQL license you need to worry about, CM12 comes with a SQL license bundled but only if the SQL instance is installed on the same server as your CM12 installation. I guess you could class that as a "pro" If your SQL instance is remote there is more configuration required in terms of security and setting up SQL Server Reporting Services (for CM12 reporting) can be a little head-wrecking (in my experience at least), your mileage may differ. How close are you to the SQL team? Will they give you all the resources (memory, etc) that you ask for? Will they bump it up for you at a moments notice, if you needed it? Will they give you admin access to the database itself? Since i do not know your internal organizations policies/practices these are questions you need to consider. We have a CM12 Primary with approximately 5,000 CM12 client machines (not users) and it's a VMware running Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and 16GB RAM with 2 x Intel Xeons @2.7GHz. It connects to a remote SQL instance but it's performance is very good for us. You'll need to check MS documentation to find what's right for you and your organization. Another primary does have the SQL instance locally but the number of clients on it is approximately 1,000. It's the same config as above, except it has 20GB RAM. Works fine for us also. Would there be any difference in performance if the SQL server was remote as apposed to local? Would it matter if SQL was installed on the same local drive as the OS and SCCM if they are all on the same raid array? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anyweb Posted September 5, 2014 Report post Posted September 5, 2014 the advice from me is keep SQL on box, in other words, don't separate it from Configuration Manager, unless of course you like trying to figure out why things are not working as expected, later on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter33 Posted September 5, 2014 Report post Posted September 5, 2014 The minimum supported configuration when running SQL on the same box, for Primary Servers, is 8 cores and 32GB RAM. These requirements are coming from SQL, not from SCCM. You should have speperate physical drives/volumes for your SCCM Installation, SQL Data, SQL Log, SQL temp, SQL/SCCM Backup. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarthMJ Posted September 5, 2014 Report post Posted September 5, 2014 The minimum supported configuration when running SQL on the same box, for Primary Servers, is 8 cores and 32GB RAM. These requirements are coming from SQL, not from SCCM. You should have speperate physical drives/volumes for your SCCM Installation, SQL Data, SQL Log, SQL temp, SQL/SCCM Backup. No the min is 1 GB of RAM for SQL. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506.aspx#pmosr CM12 will run fine with 16 GB RAM and dual CPUs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarthMJ Posted September 5, 2014 Report post Posted September 5, 2014 Would it matter if SQL was installed on the same local drive as the OS and SCCM if they are all on the same raid array? You should NEVER install CM12 on the same drive as the OS. if they are all the same RAID then break it into two drive C: and D:, there is no point in breaking it to other drives as they will all share the same IOPS and therefore you will get no advantage by breaking it into different drives. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Man Posted September 6, 2014 Report post Posted September 6, 2014 Have one of my larger installations sitting on a VM using DELL equalogic SAN storage. SQL is on same box (of course), 2 volumes, C for OS and other for SCCM,SQL data. 8CPUs' and 32 GB RAM. 5500 clients presently, 15 remote DPs and currently performance is running at approx. 17GB RAM. Primary never seems to get too much affected with OS deployments @ PS location, even when deploying 100+ machines at same time using PXE, but of course your network plays a part here also in this. And Primary site PXE DP is also on same box ( probably not recommended, but I have what I have) Advice SQL on same box. I think what Peter means by the minimum amount of requirements for SQL when having SQL on the same box as a Primary site installation of CM is what he quoted. 1GB RAM as Garth mentoned is the minimum requirements just for an installation of SQL, ramping up memory and CPUs depends what you want to run of an instance of SQL. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarthMJ Posted September 6, 2014 Report post Posted September 6, 2014 I think what Peter means by the minimum amount of requirements for SQL when having SQL on the same box as a Primary site installation of CM is what he quoted. You do not require 32 GB of RAM if you install CM12 and SQL on the same box. Minimum is 10 or 12GB I forget which but I generally go with 16 GB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
