Validating or Testing SQL Server Disk Performance

Products

• Carbon Black App Control (formerly Cb Protection)

Issue/Introduction

Test tool to test the disk performance prior to installing the App Control Application on a server

Environment

• App Control Server: All Supported Versions
• Microsoft Windows: All Supported Versions
• Microsoft SQL Server: All Supported Versions

Resolution

There are two different ways to validate storage performance depending on the storage method.

1. When using Direct-attached Storage: The CbPTest Tool (attached) should be utilized.
   • The test should be executed locally on the App Control server system
   • The system needs 60 GB of free space on the drives tested
   • Test requires .Net Framework 4.5 or newer to be installed on the system.
   • Test requires approximate 30 minutes to run.
   • Download CbPTest-v3.zip from the KB and unzip it
   • The folder contains two files:
     • cbptest-v3.ps1
     • diskspd.exe
   • In an Admin PowerShell window, navigate to the folder containing the unzipped test files and type cbptest-v3.ps1
   • Specify the disk to test and the number of the drive to test.
   • The test results display at the end of the command in the PowerShell window - copy the results
2. When using Storage Area Network (SAN): The Microsoft diskspd utility should be utilized.
   • Ensure there is 100 GB of free space on the disk you are testing
   • The test will run for 20 mins on every disk
   • Open CMD as Admin and run the following commands:

     diskspd -w100 -t1 -b40K -d1200 -o1 -fs -Su -L -c100G testfile.dat
     diskspd -w100 -t1 -b8K -d1200 -o32 -r -fr -Sh -L -c100G testfile.dat

For more details and how to interpret if the results meet the required performance metrics check the Tech Docs site

Additional Information

The tool does not replace the OER requirements that qualify the environment.