In SQL Server 2014, Microsoft has introduced the Buffer Pool Extension. This extension allows you to integrate an external RAM like SSD (Solid State Drive) to the SQL Server database engine’s buffer pool.
This will allow you to increase the buffer pool size of the SQL Server in a cost efficient way. Increasing the buffer pool size improves the I/O throughput of the database engine. But this Buffer Pool Extension feature is available only on SQL Server 2014 Enterprise edition.
Benefits of Buffer Pool Extension:
- Helps to increase the buffer pool in a cost efficient way. You can add a SSD (Solid State Drive) and extend the buffer pool of the database engine.
- No need to change the application. Enabling the buffer pool extension in SQL Server is enough to use this feature.
- I/O Throughput can be increased to a large extend.
Considerations:
- The Buffer Pool Extension size can be up to 128 GB x 32.
- Microsoft recommends to maintain a ratio between physical memory and buffer pool extension memory less than 1:16.
Limitations:
- This Buffer Pool Extension option is only available in Enterprise version of SQL Server 2014. Those who are purchasing other versions will not have this feature.
Reference
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/buffer-pool-extension?view=sql-server-2014
Read more about the new features of SQL Server 2014 here…