Thursday, June 12, 2014

SQL Server 2014 and Scalability Improvements with Windows Server 2012 R2

SQL Server 2014 now takes advantage of NIC teaming feature provided by Windows Server 2012 R2 to improve enterprise-class scalability resulting in reduced infrastructure cost and predictable
performance, the magic words (mantras) you love to hear.

But what is NIC Teaming?

NIC teaming also known as Load Balancing Failover(LBFO) is Load Balancing Failover(LBFO)- a feature that allows multiple network adapters on a computer to be placed in a team (group) for the following express purposes:

*Bandwidth aggregation
*Prevent connectivity loss in a network failure event

NIC Teaming architecture
Teaming architectures are pretty much the same across vendors. Baiscally two or more physical networks adpaters(nic)are connected to a NIC Teaming solution to multiplex them to one or more virtual adapters called team network adpaters (tnic) as shown.


Here is a teaming solution from VMWare.

There are two swithching algorithms used in NIC Teaming:
  • Switch dependent mode: Switch participates in teaming
  • Switch idnependent-mode: Switch makes teaming possible but does not participate
There are two common choices for teacming in switch-dependent mode:

  • Generic or static teaming (IEEE 802.3ad draft v1) - prone to errors in configuration as it is static
  • Dynamic teaming (IEEE 802.1ax, LACP)-Uses Link Aggregation Control Protocol and leverages automatic team creation.
Features of NIC Teaming in Windows Server 2012

Traffic distribution:

Hyper-V swithc port
Hashing Algorithms

There is both NIC Teaming Managment Interface as well as Powershell commandlets to manage teaming.

Your master reference to Microsoft NIC teaming is found here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831648.aspx

Also read up on this:
http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/support/landing_pages/Virtual-Support-Day-Best-Practices-Virtual-Networking-June-2012.pdf
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-3729

Friday, June 6, 2014

Three more Microsoft Azure Datacenters operating now


Do not forget to get free books on Microsoft Windows Azure.

Azure Datacenter is now generally available in Brazil. A promotional pricing is offered right now. Geo replication to South US datacenter from Brazil dictates default storage option being Geographically Redundant Storage.

Brazil Datacenter debuts after two other data centers in Asia:
http://windowsitpro.com/azure/microsoft-opens-azure-datacenter-brazil-south-region

Japan GEO
 http://azure.microsoft.com/ja-jp/community/japan-datacenter-geo/


China operated by 21Vianet
 http://www.datacenterdynamics.com/focus/archive/2014/03/microsoft-launches-mainland-china-azure-cloud-data-center


This is what you should do to get your free book. Note only the first three persons (from Brazil, Japan and China) to respond will get the book.

Send an email to hodentek@live.com with Azure SQL in the subject line. Include your email address and your postal address to get a free copy of my book on Windows Azure SQL Database.
http://hodentekmsss.blogspot.com/2010/12/regarding-my-book-on-sql-azure.html

 

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