SQL Performance

SME is a database oriented application and relies on performance of SQL Server.

For smaller installations, basic server configuration is no problem. However for companies that have many users and heavy load, it's important that the SQL Server is optimized. Here are the best practices for SQL server setup in a high volume environment:

1. Run full version of SQL Server rather than SQL Express. Note SQL Express is fine for small installations for example up to 10 to 20 SME users.
2. Dedicated Server for SQL: Move ALL applications off sql server and have sql as a dedicated virtual or physical server.
3. Three drives for this dedicated SQL server as follows:
   1. C drive should only contain the sql server application.
   2. Drive 2 should be a dedicated drive for the main sql database
   3. Drive 3 should be a dedicated drive for temp tables and logs. Recommend that this is a SSD or Hybrid drive for speed. It does not need to be RAID.
4. Increase number of processor cores either as physical or virtual cores.