I'm looking to replace our SQL Server:
HP Proliant DL360 G4
2x 64-bit Intel Xeon 3.60 GHz, 1M Cache, 800 MHz FSB
4GB RAM DDR2
HP Smart Array 6i
2x 146GB SCSI 15K (RAID 1)
With this:
HP ProLiant SE316M1
2x Intel Xeon L5520 (8M Cache, 2.26 GHz, 5.86 GT/s Intel QPI) Nehalem
16GB RAM DDR3
HP Smart Array P410 512 MB BBWC Cache
2 x 120GB Intel DC S3500 SSD (RAID 1)
I'm also upgrading from SQL Server 2000 and Windows 2003 to SQL Server 2008 R2 and Windows 2008 R2.
I understand the SE316M1 is basically a DL160 G6.
I know our current setup is so ancient (10-year-old) that almost anything can be a big improvement. And this new setup is not a big deal either (5-year-old and pretty unexpensive). But I want to do something as good as I can with my limited budget, but also very reliable.
My biggest concern is the P410 Smart Array and the SSDs (Intel DC S3500). I understand they're compatible, the S3500 is a decent and reliable SSD, and that the P410 won't be a bottleneck for the SSDs.
But what is the Battery Backed Write Cache (BBWC) Module for? Is it a must? What would I be missing in this setup if I don't have it? I'm reading this: HP Smart Array P400/256MB SAS Controller BATTERY. Would I loose performance whith those Intel SSDs? The server will be protected with a UPS. Sorry, I'm a bit confused here! Thanks!
