Network Components and Performance

The network can be divided broadly into two layers: the software layer, which houses the network protocols, and the hardware layer, which includes the network interface cards (NIC), cables, and so on. Each network layer has its own characteristics and performance considerations. There are several reasons for choosing a particular protocol or network hardware component. Usually, this choice is made based on your business rules and how each system is connected to the other systems in your network. In this section we’ll examine the software and hardware related factors that affect SQL Server performance.

The Software Layer

With the newer versions of the Windows operating system and SQL Server 2005, the software layer ...

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