Load Testing Storage Performance for SQL Server

In this session, we will delve into the fundamentals of load testing for SQL Server. We will cover everything from planning to execution and interpreting the results to enhance performance. Participants will gain valuable insights into creating a load test that accurately mirrors their specific environment, whether it's on-premises or in the cloud.

Key concepts such as understanding hardware capabilities, virtual machine configurations, cloud-specific considerations, and a detailed examination of the I/O stack and queuing mechanisms will be explored. We will then move on to discuss different load-testing strategies, comparing synthetic and real workloads, and reviewing popular tools such as DiskSpd, HammerDB, and Workload Tools. Additionally, we will learn how to utilize SQL Server's own capabilities for simulating workloads.

Collecting performance data is a critical part of the process, and we will demonstrate how to automate this using PowerShell extract performance metrics from SQL Server DMVs and PerfMon.

Finally, we will focus on interpreting the collected data, including a live demo to illustrate how to analyze queuing behavior in order to identify potential bottlenecks.

This session is designed for DBAs, system administrators, and developers who are seeking to improve their load-testing strategies and optimize SQL Server performance.