Database servers have unique hardware requirements — lots of memory for caching, fast storage for I/O, and enough CPU cores for concurrent queries. Here is how to size.
Component Priority
- Memory (Most Important) — Buffer cache reduces disk I/O. More RAM = faster queries.
- Storage (Second) — NVMe for OLTP, SAS SSD for mixed, HDD for archive.
- CPU (Third) — More cores for more concurrent connections.
- Network (Fourth) — 10GbE minimum for replication and backup.
Sizing by Database Size
| DB Size | Memory | Storage | Server |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 100GB | 128-256GB | SAS SSD RAID 10 | 1U (R650, DL360) |
| 100GB-1TB | 256-512GB | NVMe + SAS SSD | 2U (R750, DL380) |
| 1TB+ | 512GB-2TB | All NVMe | 2U maxed or 4-socket |