Disk partition alignment is a powerful tool for improving SQL Server performance. Configuring optimal disk performance is often viewed as much art as science. A best practice that is essential yet often overlooked is disk partition alignment. Windows Server 2008 attempts to align new partitions out-of-the-box, yet disk partition alignment remains a relevant technology for partitions created on prior versions of Windows. This paper documents performance for aligned and nonaligned storage and why nonaligned partitions can negatively impact I/O performance; it explains disk partition alignment for storage configured on Windows Server 2003, including analysis, diagnosis, and remediation; and it describes…

For a great webcast on SQL Auditing, check out Database Security: Challenges & Solutions by Ayad Shammout, the Lead Technical DBA at Caregroup Healthcare (Harvard Hospitals) at http://www.brighttalk.com/webcasts/3755/attend   Description Organizations across the globe are being inundated with regulatory requirements.  They also have a storng need to better manage their IT systems to ensure they are operating efficiently and stayign secure.  Auditing is a critical component from the standpoint of regulatory compliance, and ensuring data security and privacy is a big challenge.  In the focus of this presentation, we will look on how to implement a defence-in-depth strategy that can…