Best practice configuration of Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP for Microsoft SQL Server workloads

This article provides a comprehensive guide to best practices for configuring Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP when deploying Microsoft SQL Server workloads on AWS. Key highlights include:

• FSx for ONTAP offers two deployment options: Single-AZ and Multi-AZ, with Multi-AZ providing higher availability and durability
• Recommended configuration includes:
  • Separate volumes for data (.MDF) and log (.LDF) files
  • One-to-one FlexVol to LUN mapping
  • Enable volume efficiency
  • Use snapshot policies carefully
• Storage tiering can optimize costs by moving less frequently accessed data to cheaper storage tiers
• NetApp SnapCenter recommended for application-consistent backups and snapshots
• Choose EC2 instances with high network throughput for best performance

The solution provides enterprise-class storage management features for SQL Server workloads, offering flexibility, data protection, and cost optimization.