When Installing SQL Sentry - I want to install on its own SQL Server... and why ... should I?

Hey there zennifer!

In general, yes, you can host the SQL Sentry repository database, Monitoring Service, Portal, and Client all on the same host if you would like!  For a smaller deployment of 10 targets, this should be fine as long as the host has sufficient resources.  Take a look at https://docs.sentryone.com/help/recommendations#s1dbserver and scroll down to the section for 10 targets.  Since these requirements are for the database server alone, you may need to add a little bit more memory for the extra services/apps running on there.  Maybe try with 16-24 GBs of memory and see how the product performs?

The pros that jump to mind of cohabitating everything, you've already identified: minimizing licensing cost for the host and SQL Server.  It also puts everything in one place for ease of use.  The cons would be a lot of resource competition between the SQL Sentry + SQL Server processes, and also having a single point of failure.

Now for the $64,000 question...what would I do?  I'd start with everything on the same host and see how it goes!  If the performance is lacking a bit, it's easy enough to install the Monitoring Service, Portal, or Client features on a different machine later on.

Let me know if you have any other questions!  We'd love to help!

btuck  took your advice, installed it on the same server!   Got great details already!!!   I do need to add more memory... I am already blown away by the individual server dashboards, can't wait to get my DBA into the environment ... even though I just manage the infrastructure, I have learned how to read DPA results so that I could push the "old" DBA to fix issues.   We now have a new DBA that cares, I just needed to provide him with the right tools and documentation!  Thanks for your advice... I stand alone most of the time ... I use a lot of common sense and over 25 years in the trenches interfacing with people much smarter than myself!   This is quite an amazing tool!  Solarwinds is quite amazing!   No one ever makes me feel like I am incompetent!   Thanks again for taking time to provide your insight!  Means the world to me!

Jennifer

btuck  took your advice, installed it on the same server!   Got great details already!!!   I do need to add more memory... I am already blown away by the individual server dashboards, can't wait to get my DBA into the environment ... even though I just manage the infrastructure, I have learned how to read DPA results so that I could push the "old" DBA to fix issues.   We now have a new DBA that cares, I just needed to provide him with the right tools and documentation!  Thanks for your advice... I stand alone most of the time ... I use a lot of common sense and over 25 years in the trenches interfacing with people much smarter than myself!   This is quite an amazing tool!  Solarwinds is quite amazing!   No one ever makes me feel like I am incompetent!   Thanks again for taking time to provide your insight!  Means the world to me!

Jennifer