Reduce cost for SQL Server workloads on AWS using Optimize CPU feature (XNT303)
Reducing Licensing Costs for SQL Server on AWS
Overview
Many customers face the challenge of increasing licensing costs when scaling their database workloads due to the increase in the number of CPUs.
The session focuses on how you can use the AWS Optimized CPU feature to reduce your licensing costs by up to 50% without impacting performance.
Key Takeaways
The licensing cost for SQL Server can be a significant portion of the total cost, especially for Enterprise Edition.
Optimized CPU allows you to disable hyperthreading and reduce the number of CPUs, leading to substantial licensing cost savings.
Performance testing using Hammer DB showed that disabling hyperthreading or reducing the number of cores did not negatively impact the performance of the SQL Server workloads.
The cost savings from using Optimized CPU can range from 16% to 39% of the total instance cost, depending on the instance type and SQL Server edition.
When scaling your workloads, you can use Optimized CPU to keep the licensing costs the same or reduce them to a smaller fraction, enabling you to scale without incurring additional licensing penalties.
Implementing Optimized CPU
Optimized CPU can be configured during instance creation or dynamically on running instances.
Disabling hyperthreading can reduce licensing costs by 50%.
You can further reduce the number of cores, but SQL Server has a minimum of 4 cores requirement.
Implement load testing using your own tools or transaction replay to validate the performance impact of Optimized CPU.
When scaling your workloads, retain the Optimized CPU configuration to maintain the licensing cost benefits.
Best Practices
Implement Optimized CPU when scaling your workloads to avoid doubling of licensing costs.
Perform load testing to ensure there is no negative impact on performance.
Consider using transaction replay to simulate your production workload in a non-production environment.
Retain the Optimized CPU configuration when scaling your instances to maintain the licensing cost savings.
Additional Resources
Blog post: Optimized CPU Best Practices for SQL Server on AWS
Blog post: Retaining Optimized CPU Configuration when Scaling SQL Server on AWS
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