Lightning Strikes Again for SQL Server 2012!

Earlier in February, EMC announced a new server Flash caching solution called VFCache, a hardware and software solution that leverages PCIe Flash technology to extend performance based caching from the storage array to the server. VFCache (codenamed "Project Lightning") increases throughput and reduces latency with a focus towards read intensive workloads including Microsoft SQL Server.

When used with an EMC Flash enabled array, VFCache can actually increase throughput up to 3x which means customers can extend the benefits they are seeing on the EMC array since the use of an embedded SSD on the PCIe card helps to bridge the performance gap between the server and storage. VFCache reduces the need to access data across the network from the storage array which is what helps to decrease the response times and increase the performance of the application. VFCache automatically determines which data is being frequently accessed and promotes this to the server Flash cache so reads are being serviced by VFCache while writes are being directed to the storage array.

In support of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 which was released last week, EMC recently completed testing of the EMC VFCache and SQL Server 2012 and achieved compelling results as noted below:

• VFCache benefits SQL Server 2012 by:
  • Lowering database I/O latency by 60%
  • Enabling 50% more I/O serviced within 1ms
  • 4X more transactions per SQL Server database
  • Perfect fit for OLTP workloads

EMC continues to provide innovative enabling technologies that help customers extend their Microsoft technology investments. Stay tuned for more EMC whitepapers focused on SQL Server 2012! In the interim, below are the recent test results based on SQL Server 2008 R2.

In a recent white paper entitled EMC VFCache Accelerates Microsoft SQL Server, we tested an online transaction processing (OLTP) database on SQL Server 2008 using a 90% reads to 10% writes workload. After establishing a baseline, the VFCache was enabled and testing proved an increase of transactions per second (TPS) from 1.0 TPS to 3.6 TPS – an increase of 260%!!!

The test results also displayed a reduction in latency from 1.0 read latencies to 0.13!

This momentum will continue, we encourage you to visit EMC at Microsoft Management Summit (MMS), Microsoft TechEd and EMC World to learn more about EMC VFCache and SQL Server! EMC has already indicated that another announcement called Project Thunder will be out soon in Q2 of 2012 and you know what they say…when you see Lightning, Thunder is close by! Stay tuned!

Comments

[Dikrek]

Hello all, Dimitris from NetApp here.

You mentioned "When used with an EMC Flash enabled array, VFCache can actually increase throughput up to 3x".

I thought that this first iteration of VFcache has no back-end array awareness. Indeed, it can be run with any back-end array and has no preference there.

Are you talking futures?

Thx

D

[Virtual Winfrastructure]

Hi Dimitris,

Thanks for reading the blog! No, this isn't a futures feature but something available today. Because VFCache automatically determines which data is being accessed most frequently, it promotes this to the server Flash cache so reads are being serviced by VFCache while writes are being directed to the storage array. This opens up the ability to serve more I/Os on the backend array helping to provide improved performance overall.

Hope this helps!
Adrian