MSSQLTips

This post is related to this tip: Properly Sizing the TempDB Database

http://www.mssqltips.com/tip.asp?tip=1388

One question. The documentation, even the link recommended on 'Hard Drive Configurations for SQL Server' always say;

Drive X - System Database data files

Drive Y - User Database data files

Drive Z - Transaction log files.

 Where do the log files for TEMPDb go? X or Z?

Glynne_smith,

That is a great question!  For many of the hard drive configurations in the Hard Drive Configurations for SQL Server tip the TempDB database and log file would reside on the System Database disk drive.

One item that was not covered in that tip is actually splitting the TempDB database (and transaction log) to a separate RAID 1 set when the TempDB database is used frequently.  Depending on the application, TempDB may or may not be used heavily.  For the circumstances when it is used heavily, then splitting the TempDB database (and transaction log) may be a performance improvement.

Let us know if this answers your question.

Thank you,
The MSSQLTips.com Team

That makes sense.....thanks

One thing I'd like to add....In the past, I have avoided placing tempdb on a RAID-0.  Though tempdb doesn't require the fault tolerance of other RAIDs,  if tempdb is on a RAID-0 and the disk fails,  SQL Server will go down.  Tempdb is required for SQL Server.

APrato,

Thanks so much!  That is a great point!

Thank you,
The MSSQLTips.com Team