SQL Server TempDB Configuration Best Practices

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Microsoft SQL Server’s TempDB is a system database that’s critical for SQL operations. To achieve optimal performance from SQL Server, the TempDB should be configured properly. Here are some best practices for configuring TempDB.

1. Create Multiple TempDB Files

Creating multiple TempDB files aids in reducing allocation contention and helps improve SQL server performance. The default TempDB configuration comes with just a single data file and log file. But it’s best to create more TempDB data files, the common suggestion being one file per CPU core. Here’s how you can add more TempDB files:

2. Properly Size TempDB Files

Improper sizing of the TempDB files can lead to several performance issues. To avoid this, it is recommended to pre-size TempDB files and allow them an adequate room to grow. Adjusting the size of your TempDB file can be done using the code below:

3. Isolate TempDB

Since I/O operations on TempDB are often more frequent than other SQL Server databases, it benefits from being isolated on its own separate drive. This isolation provides optimal performance for the TempDB database.

4. Set AutoGrowth Accordingly

AutoGrowth settings for the TempDB database are important to prevent frequent size changes. Optimally you would pre-size your TempDB to handle the largest of your workloads, but having sensible AutoGrowth in place can keep things running smoothly:

Conclusion

Although each SQL Server environment is unique, and settings should be configured regarding your specific requirements, correctly configuring your TempDB following these best practices can significantly improve your SQL Server performance.