Optimizing Storage for Exchange Server 2003

Poorly planned disk subsystems will kill your Exchange server's performance. While optimal disk performance was important in Exchange 5.5, it is vital in Exchange 2000 and 2003 due to the fact we are consolidating more users to fewer servers. Database reads and writes as well as transaction log writes must be optimized. High disk read and write latencies translates in to complaints about performance. Monitoring disk performance is a good thing, but how do you know what you really need to monitor?

Microsoft has released a whitepaper called Optimizing Storage for Exchange Server 2003 that is a great guide for optimizing Microsoft Exchange for good disk performance. Thanks to Microsoft TAM Dan Fox for passing this on to me so quickly.

Of course, don't forget about lots of RAM.