How to make your IO-intensive MSSQL workloads highly available?

You have your IO-intensive application on the backed powered by SSD (from FusionIO for example) and you do not want your IOPs to get cut by 50% or more by adding a HA solution, however on the back of your head you realize that HA is important considering that your business depends on this application. How do you solve this problem?

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New High Availability features for MSSQL in Windows Azure

Microsoft announces new features for its cloud answer to Amazon EC2 – Windows Azure. While Azure is far away from what giant EC2 has to offer we need to keep in mind that Microsoft is not trying to solve all the problems in the world (unlike EC2 because they can), but only trying to concentrate on making their platform (OS and Virtualization) as well as applications to remain relevant in this rapidly occurring transformation of technologies and workloads into the cloud as well as maturity of progress on the open source side. So here we go…

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EMC spends more cash on Flash

I do not believe much needs to be said on this acquisition. We all know who EMC is and what it is famous for. ScaleIO last year (2012) came out of the stealth mode and recently got acquired by EMC for something like $200m to $300m depending on the source. Looks like portion of the team came from XtremIO that was couple of years acquired by EMC (see the pattern?).

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Ceph vs Gluster Debate

Recently ran into a very interesting video captured during the LinuxConf in Australia. This video captures the debate between John Mark Walker representing GlusterFS and Sage Weil representing Ceph. Both also represent private entetires Gluster -> Gluster Inc. that now owned by RedHat and Ceph -> Inktank.

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“I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees” – Story of BigSwitch and OpenDayLight

First, I have to admit that I am quite excited about the OpenDayLight project as it promises to bring the “next penguin” despite all the arguments and roadblocks.

Certainly one may question the reason for all the hardware guys joining OpenDayLight, isn’t the ultimate goal to make network hardware to be based on “white-label” box that can be overlaid with open source (Linux based) OS that would provide all the great functionality that today enclosed in proprietary hardware of the “giants”?

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Catch all(…) For high-availability in the cloud

Prerequisitehttp://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/using-regions-availability-zones.html

In this post I would like to expose some of the pain points that you may be experiencing (certainly would like to hear more! If I didn’t cover them all) as you transition your Microsoft SQL based applications into the cloud.

You may already know that SIOS Technology Corp. recently announced DataKeeper Cloud Edition that enables native Microsoft SQL Failover Clustering in EC2 environment within a since Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and between the Availability Zones (AZs).

Is it enough? Continue reading