I recently read some information regarding aligning the Disk for use with SQL
Server. Meaning, since SQL Server handles data in chunks of 64KB that the
disk drive SQL Server writes to should be configured to work in 64KB chunks.
The articles I am referring to are listed below, and I am wondering what
other peoples thoughts are. I am also interested in understanding how to
determine whether my disks are aligned and/or how to align them. Based on the
articles, I see my Offset is 32KB on my drives, but I am also trying to work
with the formula in the Microsoft KB article to determine how/where exactly I
become aligned. The formula is:

((Partition offset) * (Disk sector size)) / (Stripe unit size)

How do I determine these values???

Here is the Microsoft article.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929491

Here is the other article.

http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/sql-server/how-much-performance-are-you.../#comments

Thanks in advance for your help.

Why not just do what (apparently Vista / Longhorn do) and use an offest of
1024.

Otherwise I think the latest version of the SQL 2005 BPA actually tells you
if your partitions aren't aligned.

Surely, this is better than all this math...

HTH

"John Barr" wrote:

1024? I don't understand what 1024 is. And where in SQL Server BPA does it
tell you if your disks are aligned?

"Platypus" wrote: