Mirroring and 64 vs 32 bit performance

Hi,
I have a few questions regarding sql server 2005 .
Hardware will be running with a single dual core 64 bit Opteron 175.
1) Are there any performance advantages running sql 2005 Workgroup Edition
on Windows 2003 64 bit Edition? If so what are they?
2) Are there any benchmarks on how much faster sql 2005 Standard Edition vs
sql 2005 Workgroup Edition runs on Windows 2003 64 bit Edition?
3) For sql 2005 Standard Edition and the database mirroring functionality :
is it possible to mirror multiple sql servers to just one failover mirror or
do you need a separate sql box to mirror each one ?
Thanks"greg" <greg_platt@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23Y7SECZGGHA.208@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I have a few questions regarding sql server 2005 .
> hardware will be running with a single dual core 64 bit Opteron 175.
> 1) Are there any performance advantages running sql 2005 Workgroup Edition
> on Windows 2003 64 bit Edition? If so what are they?
>
Yes. Workgroup Edition only comes in 32bit and can only use 3GB of RAM, and
lacks the tuning tools of SQL Server.

> 2) Are there any benchmarks on how much faster sql 2005 Standard Edition
> vs sql 2005 Workgroup Edition runs on Windows 2003 64 bit Edition?
No. For small workloads there shouldn't be much difference.

> 3) For sql 2005 Standard Edition and the database mirroring functionality
> : is it possible to mirror multiple sql servers to just one failover
> mirror or do you need a separate sql box to mirror each one ?
>
One mirror per database, although the mirror server can mirror multiple
databases.
David|||Thanks David,
So for 1) i'm not sure you've answered the question. I know Workgroup
Edition is 32bit but it can run on Windows 2003 Standard 64bit edition using
WOW. Now because i have a 64bit Opteron will i see SQL run quicker in this
config as opposed to using Windows 2003 Standard 32bit Server? Also are
there any performance penalties using WOW?
For 3) i take it you mean you can only have one prinicipal server per
mirror?
So if i have two SQL server machines running different databases and i need
to use just 1 backup server incase one machine fails what are my best
options?
Log-Shipping? or Replication?
Clustering would be too expensive for us and Mirroring would also be too
expensive if you need one mirror for each SQL server machine.
Thanks.
"David Browne" <davidbaxterbrowne no potted meat@.hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:%237r4ZseGGHA.1032@.TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> "greg" <greg_platt@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:%23Y7SECZGGHA.208@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Yes. Workgroup Edition only comes in 32bit and can only use 3GB of RAM,
> and lacks the tuning tools of SQL Server.
>
> No. For small workloads there shouldn't be much difference.
>
> One mirror per database, although the mirror server can mirror multiple
> databases.
> David
>|||Most of the benefits of 64 bit architectures are a result of the flat memory
space but Workgroup Edition is not going to be able to take advantage of
most of that. running a 32 bit edition in WOW allows 4 GB of user space so
there is some advantage there. Currently, 64 bit processors are generally
slower than the fastest 32 bit processors so in some cases a 32 bit
processor might actually give better performance than a 64 bit processor and
WOW. Of course, with a 64 bit machine you have the advantage of being able
to upgrade to Standard edition and take advantage of the flat memory space
if you run out of horsepower in WOW.
You can have multiple servers mirrored to a single DB Mirroring server
because individual databases are mirrored. You would have to be careful to
ensure that the mirror has enough resources to both handle the load of
mirroring databases from several server and the load of running the
databases when they're failed over.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
"greg" <greg_platt@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uBwm4ejGGHA.3916@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Thanks David,
> So for 1) i'm not sure you've answered the question. I know Workgroup
> Edition is 32bit but it can run on Windows 2003 Standard 64bit edition
> using WOW. Now because i have a 64bit Opteron will i see SQL run quicker
> in this config as opposed to using Windows 2003 Standard 32bit Server?
> Also are there any performance penalties using WOW?
> For 3) i take it you mean you can only have one prinicipal server per
> mirror?
> So if i have two SQL server machines running different databases and i
> need to use just 1 backup server incase one machine fails what are my best
> options?
> Log-Shipping? or Replication?
> Clustering would be too expensive for us and Mirroring would also be too
> expensive if you need one mirror for each SQL server machine.
> Thanks.
>
> "David Browne" <davidbaxterbrowne no potted meat@.hotmail.com> wrote in
> message news:%237r4ZseGGHA.1032@.TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>|||Ok great.
Is there anything required to activate WOW on windows server or does it
automatically just work when you install the Workgroup Edition?
Also can you just confirm that the following scenario is doable:
Two SQL machines with copy of SQL 2005 Standard Edition
named SQL1 and SQL2 (both with there own separate internal ip address)
SQL1 has two databases called DB1 and DB2
SQL2 has two databases called DB3 and DB4
Spare Server (SPARE1) with copy of SQL 2005 Standard Edition for the Mirror
Witness Server (WIT1)
DB1,DB2,DB3,DB4 are mirrored to the Spare Server (SPARE1) with WIT1 as the
Witness Server
Now if both SQL1 and SQ2 fail at the same time can the Mirror take over all
the connections to these servers?
Thanks.
"Roger Wolter[MSFT]" <rwolter@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:%23DS1h9jGGHA.3320@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Most of the benefits of 64 bit architectures are a result of the flat
> memory space but Workgroup Edition is not going to be able to take
> advantage of most of that. running a 32 bit edition in WOW allows 4 GB of
> user space so there is some advantage there. Currently, 64 bit processors
> are generally slower than the fastest 32 bit processors so in some cases a
> 32 bit processor might actually give better performance than a 64 bit
> processor and WOW. Of course, with a 64 bit machine you have the
> advantage of being able to upgrade to Standard edition and take advantage
> of the flat memory space if you run out of horsepower in WOW.
> You can have multiple servers mirrored to a single DB Mirroring server
> because individual databases are mirrored. You would have to be careful
> to ensure that the mirror has enough resources to both handle the load of
> mirroring databases from several server and the load of running the
> databases when they're failed over.
> --
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
> http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
> "greg" <greg_platt@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uBwm4ejGGHA.3916@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>|||WOW is always there. Any 32 bit software you install will run in the WOW.
Theoretically, your failover scenario will work if you keep in mind that the
mirror server will have to handle four databases in this case so unless this
server has significantly more power than the primary servers, performance
will suffer if you fail over all the databases.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
"greg" <greg_platt@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OmGebPlGGHA.3448@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Ok great.
> Is there anything required to activate WOW on windows server or does it
> automatically just work when you install the Workgroup Edition?
> Also can you just confirm that the following scenario is doable:
> Two SQL machines with copy of SQL 2005 Standard Edition
> named SQL1 and SQL2 (both with there own separate internal ip address)
> SQL1 has two databases called DB1 and DB2
> SQL2 has two databases called DB3 and DB4
> Spare Server (SPARE1) with copy of SQL 2005 Standard Edition for the
> Mirror
> Witness Server (WIT1)
> DB1,DB2,DB3,DB4 are mirrored to the Spare Server (SPARE1) with WIT1 as the
> Witness Server
> Now if both SQL1 and SQ2 fail at the same time can the Mirror take over
> all the connections to these servers?
> Thanks.
>
> "Roger Wolter[MSFT]" <rwolter@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:%23DS1h9jGGHA.3320@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>|||1. Each principal can have exactly 1 mirror. A witness can service as many
principal/mirror pairs as you want it to. Mirroring occurs at a database
level, so you can have an instance of SQL Server where there are multiple
databases on that instance in the role of a mirror.
Mike
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com
Disclaimer: This communication is an original work and represents my sole
views on the subject. It does not represent the views of any other person
or entity either by inference or direct reference.
"greg" <greg_platt@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23Y7SECZGGHA.208@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I have a few questions regarding sql server 2005 .
> hardware will be running with a single dual core 64 bit Opteron 175.
> 1) Are there any performance advantages running sql 2005 Workgroup Edition
> on Windows 2003 64 bit Edition? If so what are they?
> 2) Are there any benchmarks on how much faster sql 2005 Standard Edition
> vs sql 2005 Workgroup Edition runs on Windows 2003 64 bit Edition?
> 3) For sql 2005 Standard Edition and the database mirroring functionality
> : is it possible to mirror multiple sql servers to just one failover
> mirror or do you need a separate sql box to mirror each one ?
> Thanks
>sql