Best practice in choosing the drives for data and log files while installing sql server in prod environment?

Question

I need to install a SQL server for prod environment. There are only two drives in the system one drive with 120 GB and another with 50 GB. How to choose the drives to keep the user defined db data and log files and temp db files.

Answer 1

Your question too broad to have simple answer.

Take this points into consideration:

1. What is the size of user data database?
2. What is expected growth of user data database?
3. Do you have a lot of queries with #-tables? (tempdb strain)
4. What is expected transaction count in second/minute?
5. Use SQLIO to measure speed of your drives.
6. Do you have ready load tests? (Use them and look in Resource Monitor, check disk queues)
7. Which recovery model you are using? (Growth of your log files)
8. Which backup strategy you are planning?

It is equally possible:

• you don't have to worry with all DBs on default location
• you need faster hardware