Home > Workload Solutions > SQL Server > Guides > Reference Architecture Guide—Ready Solutions for Microsoft SQL: Design for Dell EMC XtremIO > Dell EMC XtremIO X2
The XtremIO X2 storage array is the new generation of the XtremIO family, providing 25 percent better data reduction and 80 percent better latency than the previous generation.[1] XtremIO X2 is ideal for consolidating SQL Server environments. The XtremIO X2 array provides a combination of all-flash for consistently fast performance and all-the-time inline data reduction for high efficiency, and it accelerates database provisioning with application-integrated copy services. Our XtremIO X2 test configuration included 72 SAS flash drives across two X-Brick modules for a total of 112.32 TB. X-Brick modules enable seamless expansion of the XtremIO X2 storage array.
According to XtremIO X2 specifications, one fully populated X-Brick module, with 72 drives, supports a maximum of 220,000 IOPS at 0.5 milliseconds (ms) of latency with a 70 percent read to 30 percent write mixture using 8 KB disk-space blocks. In our testing, we exceeded the achievable IOPS to obtain greater storage array consolidation for the databases. We used best practices when configuring XtremIO X2 storage for SQL Server. SQL Server has different I/O patterns for accessing data and log files:
In our testing, we separated data, log, tempdb, and operating system files into separate LUNs for each virtualized database:
By separating parts of the database on the XtremIO X2 array, the database administrator can monitor the database and make changes independently of other database files. Additionally, when cloning and replicating a SQL Server database, copying or protecting all parts of the database is unnecessary. For example, the tempdb LUN does not have to be cloned or replicated to copy or protect the SQL Server database.