Optimal power plan for SQL Server

Category: Performance

Item:  Windows Power plan

CPU performance and Windows power plans

Usually, the balanced power plan is set by default, which is what Microsoft recommends for general use.

Great for saving the planet and being green, but can be terrible for server performance.

The benefit of setting the server power management to high performance is for SQL Server to have consistent, predictable and high performance.

How to identify the issue?

On Windows Server 2008 and above, you can access the Power Options screen by typing powercfg.cpl in a Run prompt.

Figure 1 – Options of Windows Power plans.

How do I fix it?

  1. Set Windows Power Plan to “High Performance”.
  2. Validate BIOS power management is disabled or set to OS control.

More information

Aaron Bertrand – Identify SQL Servers with inefficient power plans using Policy Based Management
Simon Liew – Windows Server Power Management Effect on SQL Server

Mark Varnas

Mark Varnas

I love making performance tuning SQL Servers fast and making them more stable. And I channel that obsession into our SQL Managed Services and new content here. When I'm not writing about SQL, I spend time outside hiking, skiing, mountain biking, or trying a new recipe.

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