SQL Database Guidance for a non-DBA
I've done a lot of development work, and obviously a lot with SharePoint, but I'm not a DBA. So when I had a few different customers ask for some SQL architecture info for budgeting and capacity planning I did a little reading and digging beyond the basic capacity planning tool info.
The list below is my "top 10" list of resources and references for technical SQL info for SharePoint 2007. In other words, if I was asked to stand up a new SharePoint farm and monitor/administer it from a database perspective, here's where I'd start:
#1: Hardware Recommendations
Overview: Blog post containing general hardware guidance from the SharePoint product group and info on the capacity planning tool. This tool is a good place to start for some basic estimates on your farm. However, keep in mind that this is only a first step, and the capacity planning tool isn’t meant as the only source of information – especially for large, complex environments.
#2 and #3: MOSS Capacity Planning and physical storage recommendations
Overview: Main MOSS Capacity planning page and physical storage information
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc261716.aspx
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc298801.aspx
#4: Estimating Capacity for Portal Collaboration Environments
Overview: a deeper look at performance and capacity planning for MOSS collaboration/portal content
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc263100.aspx
#5: Estimating Capacity for Search Environments
Overview: a deeper look at performance and capacity planning for MOSS search
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262574.aspx
#6: SharePoint Performance Optimization whitepaper
Overview: Whitepaper on how Microsoft IT handles SharePoint performance. See best practices at the end of the document
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc964305.aspx
#7: Database maintenance for SharePoint whitepaper
Overview: a SQL database maintenance whitepaper specifically geared toward supporting SharePoint environments
#8: SQL 2008 support announcement
Overview: general blog posting on SQL Server 2008 support in MOSS by the SharePoint product group
#9: SharePoint Scalability and Performance whitepaper
Overview: 90+ page paper documents real-world, large-scale MOSS lab implementation
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262067.aspx
#10: Scaling SharePoint 2007 – Storage Architecture
Overview: this is a great whitepaper written by Russ Houberg at KnowledgeLake. Recently updated too. It’s last on this list but it could easily be the first article I’d recommend reading as you consider a storage architecture for SharePoint 2007.
Did I miss a good reference? If so, send it my way.