Optimize and Consolidate SQL Server

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Your Challenge

More servers are deployed in production than necessary, resulting in excessive hardware, utilities, licensing and maintenance costs.
Many databases are business critical, and prolonged downtime while IT changes the environment is unacceptable.
It can be hard to secure funds for an overdue upgrade project.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Get to action with the tasks that have the most impact. Focus your time and energy on the items that will provide the greatest return on investment.
Create a plan to replace infrastructure that can make costs and changes predictable.
Clearly communicate these needs to executive stakeholders, identifying the business value of changes.

Impact and Result

Create an inventory of your current environment.
Perform an analysis of the current system to identify candidates for consolidation and out-of-date platforms.
Create a detailed plan to test, execute modifications, and stabilize your platform.
Use Info-Tech’s tools and templates to guide your project and get to action.

Contributors

Richard Teta, Manager of Technology Support, Trinity Wall Street
Dave Hildebrand, Manager of Information Technology & Systems, Meno Ya Win Health Centre
Mike West, SQL Server Educator, DBA, and Technical Consultant
System Analyst Manager, a community bank in Upstate New York
Senior DBA, a major international organization
Chief Technology Officer, mid-size US medical organization

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See how all the steps you need to take come together, with tools and advice to help with each task on your list.

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Get to Action

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should consolidate and optimize your SQL Server environment, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Identify opportunities and challenges

Understand opportunities to optimize SQL Server.
- Optimize and Consolidate SQL Server – Phase 1: Identify Opportunities and Challenges
- Database Consolidation Inventory Tool
Plan the optimization project

Create a workflow for optimization.
Test, execute, stabilize, and debrief

Put the plan into action and collect the results.

Guided Implementation

This guided implementation is a nine call advisory process.

Guided Implementation #1 - Identify opportunities and challenges

Call #1: Identify the current state of your SQL Server environment
Call #2: Review inventory of hardware and applications, and identify if opportunities exist for an upgrade to SQL Server 2014
Call #3: Review options for an upgrade or consolidation

Guided Implementation #2 - Plan the optimization project

Call #1: Review possible paths for a consolidation or upgrade project, and review likely budget estimates
Call #2: Discuss opportunities for an upgrade in the context of your current environment
Call #3: Identify opportunities and goals for consolidation

Guided Implementation #3 - Test, execute, stabilize, and debrief

Call #1: Review your project checklist and resourcing
Call #2: Discuss the stages in your execution with an analyst, and review possibilities for post-testing
Call #3: Debrief on project execution and discuss next steps

Schedule Your First Call

Onsite Workshop

The Purpose

Review the project rationale and identify project value add.
Identify challenges to overcome and opportunities to improve.

Key Benefits Achieved

Create an inventory of your current database environment.

Activities:		Outputs:
1.1	Identify pain points in the current system.
1.2	Identify project drivers, risks, and expected outcomes.	Identify project value proposition
1.3	Identify stakeholders, SMEs, and roles and responsibilities.	Complete the project opportunity assessment
1.4	Establish project parameters and deliverables and collect system data.	Create an inventory identifying system interdependencies
1.5	Identify new features in SQL Server that can provide business value.

The Purpose

Develop a project plan to guide implementation.

Key Benefits Achieved

Develop project scope and get sign-off.

Activities:		Outputs:
2.1	Review key factors for your platform, such as security and availability, to identify the optimal path for modifications.	Document prioritized criteria to guide any modifications to your environment
2.2	Identify the paths to optimization that can help you meet business goals.	Complete the opportunity assessment and identify initial steps on the project checklist
2.3	Identify servers to upgrade, performance tune, and consolidate.	Complete the TCO budget tool

The Purpose

Establish a plan to execute and test modifications to your environment.
Communicate project successes to stakeholders.

Key Benefits Achieved

Ensure your plan to modify your SQL Server environment will minimize disruption to business processes.
Build a roadmap for next steps to streamline future projects.

Activities:		Outputs:
3.1	Create a step-by-step plan for modifications with your SMEs.	Complete the execution checklist
3.2	Identify steps for roll back and backup to deal with unexpected complications.	Complete the roll back checklist
3.3	Review your project plans with stakeholders.	Review the executive presentation
3.4	Discuss and document lessons learned.	Update the issue resolution template