Using SQL Server in Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine? Then you need to read this…

Over the past few months we noticed some of our customers struggling with optimizing performance when running SQL Server in a Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine, specifically around the topic of I/O Performance.

We researched this problem further, did a bunch of testing, and discussed the topic at length among several of us in CSS, the SQL Server Product team, the Azure Customer Advisory Team (CAT), and the Azure Storage team.

Based on that research, we have revised some of the guidelines and best practices on how to best configure SQL Server in this environment. You can find this collective advice which includes a quick “checklist” at this location on the web:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn133149.aspx

If you are running SQL Server already in Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine or making plans to do so, I highly encourage you to read over these guidelines and best practices.

There is other great advice in our documentation that covers more than just Performance Considerations. You can find all of these at this location:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj823132.aspx

If you deploy any of these recommendations and find they are not useful, cause you problems. or are not effective, I want to hear from you. Please contact me at bobward@microsoft.com with your experiences

Bob Ward
Microsoft

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