Defragging Drives on your SQL Server

  • Can anyone think of a reason why one shoudl NOT defrag a Log files only locallay attached drive on a SQL Server box so long as its done after hours when the DB is off line?

    That said what about a date files drive?

    I would think the answer for the Log files drives is no but I'm not so confident about the data fiels drive.

    Our IT guys have MOM set to defrag the drives automatically after hours.

    Thanks

    Kindest Regards,

    Just say No to Facebook!
  • Shut SQL down for the duration.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

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  • I'm with Gail on shutting down SQL services for the defrag. If the volumes are fragmented, then defrag them.

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
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  • As a one-time process where there is identified fragmentation issues on the drive - I would take the services offline, perform the defrag and bring everything back up.

    As a scheduled process - absolutely not. There is no need to do that unless you are careless enough to have put in processes to shrink the data and log files and let them auto grow at an unreasonable size. For example, growing the data or log files at 1MB or the default 10%.

    On a dedicated drive - you should not have a lot of growth on the files. Log files shouldn't grow at all and data files should grow only when you schedule and manually grow the files. Since you should be growing the files in a large enough segment to allow for normal operations and growth - you should not be growing the files anything more than maybe once a month, preferably no more than once a quarter which would eliminate any issues with fragmentation on the drives.

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