Microsoft

SQL Server
Architecture
Tom Hamilton – America’s
Channel Database CSE
Common SQL Server Versions

 SQL Server 2000

 SQL Server 2005
– Product Overview

 SQL Server 2008

– Product Overview

 SQL Server 2012

– Product Overview
SQL Server Components

 Databases
 Database Files and File Groups
 Transaction Logs
 Backup and Recovery
 Microsoft Clusters
 Protocols
 Disaster Recovery
SQL Server Databases

 System databases
– Master
– Model
– MSDB
– Resource
– Tempdb
 User databases
SQL Server Files

 Binaries
 Datafiles (.mdf, .ndf)
 Transaction log files (.ldf)
 Backup files and snapshot files
 File groups
 SQL Server 2005 New Feature: Data Partitioning Using
File Groups

Resources:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sql2k5partition.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/bi/ProjectREAL/default.mspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190787
SQL Server Transaction Log

When the end of the logical log reaches the end of the physical log file,
the new log records wrap around to the start of the physical log file.
SQL Server Recovery Model
Architectures
 Three Models:
– Simple: Truncate occurs on checkpoint (default in SQL2000)
 No “roll-forward” capability
 Data loss acceptable
– Bulk Logged: All operations are logged except bulk operations (BCP,
BULK, etc) (DSS environments)
 Roll forward capability
 Some data loss acceptable
– Full: All ops are logged (Default for SQL Server 2005)
 Full roll forward/back
 Least amount of data loss possible
 SQL Server Recovery Model
Architectures
Recovery Description Work Loss Exposure Recover to point
Model in time?
Simple No log Changes since the most Can recover only
backups recent backup are to the end of a
unprotected backup
Full Requires log Normally none Can recover to a
backups specific point in
time
Bulk Requires log If the log is damaged or Point in time is not
logged backups bulk-logged operations supported
occurred since the most
recent log backup,
changes since the last
backup must be redone
SQL Server 2005 New Feature: DB Snapshots – Copy
on write
Key Points from SQL Books Online (BOL)
Intended for reporting to a point in time at mirror
site or locally
Performance is reduced due to increased I/O on
the source database resulting from a copy-on-
write operation to the snapshot every time a
page is updated.
Snapshots of the model, master, and temp
databases are prohibited.
Specifications of the database snapshot files
cannot be changed.
Files cannot be dropped from a snapshot.
Can’t backup or restore snapshots.
Can’t attach or detach snapshots.
Can’t clone a snapshot.
Microsoft Cluster Server

 Implementation Considerations
 Hardware
 Software
 Network
Protocols

 FCP
 iSCSI
 SCSI/NFS?
 SMB
SQL Server 2005 New Feature: DB Mirroring
 Database Failover
– Very fast failover – less than 3
seconds
– Automatic or manual failover
 Works with dissimilar hardware and
storage
 Sync and async modes supported
 More info:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro
dtechnol/sql/2005/dbmirror.mspx
Microsoft SQL Server Mirror Vs.
SnapMirror
Microsoft SQL Server Mirror Vs.
SnapMirror
Data transfers
Licenses
Server-server vs. controller-controller
Reversible sync
Failover
Database only vs. everything
Go for win-win
New in SQL Server 2012

 Availability Groups
– http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645581.aspx

 SMB
– http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh759341.asp
SQL Server Replication

 Transactional Replication
 Merge Replication
 Snapshot replication