Log-Shipping Performance

On the primary server, to continue to meet performance requirements while concurrent users are accessing the log-shipping system, consider placing the log-shipping backup directory on a separate disk drive from the database. As part of ongoing administration, monitor the I/O performance counters for any bottlenecks (for example, average queue length higher than two for each physical drive). Do database administration activities such as index defragmentation at a time of lower activity, because depending on the level of fragmentation, the transaction-log file will be larger and take longer to backup and can affect users. To keep the secondary server closer in sync with the primary server, maintain shorter transactions.

To ensure fast recovery in a role switch, the secondary server should have identical capacity to the primary server. It will be more able to keep in sync with the primary server. Additionally, in a role switch, the secondary server will be able to provide the same performance experience that users expect. Similarly, separate the file copy directory from the database, and, as part of ongoing administration, monitor I/O performance counters. Furthermore, monitor network bandwidth, and ensure that there is capacity to move the transaction-log file in a timely manner.