Configure Write Accelerator

The Write Accelerator feature in Azure can significantly enhance the performance of your SAP workloads by optimizing write operations. By efficiently caching write operations, Write Accelerator reduces latency and improves overall system responsiveness. In this article, we will explore how to configure Write Accelerator for your SAP workloads in Azure.

Prerequisites

Before enabling Write Accelerator, there are a few requirements and considerations to keep in mind:

1. Azure VMs: Write Accelerator is currently available only for Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) running Linux-based SAP workloads. Ensure that you have the appropriate VMs provisioned.
2. Supported disk types: Write Accelerator supports both premium managed disks and standard SSDs (solid-state drives). Ensure that your VMs are using one of these disk types.
3. OS and kernel versions: The Write Accelerator feature requires specific versions of the operating system (OS) and kernel. Consult the Azure documentation to verify the supported OS and kernel versions for your VMs.

Once you have met these prerequisites, you can proceed with the configuration.

Configuration Steps

Follow these steps to configure Write Accelerator for your SAP workloads:

1. Enable Write Accelerator: The first step is to enable Write Accelerator for your VMs. You can do this by modifying the VM configuration. Use the Azure CLI or Azure Portal to enable the feature. Here’s an example command using Azure CLI:

az vm update \
--resource-group \
--name \
--write-accelerator Enabled


2. Restart VMs: After enabling Write Accelerator, you need to restart the VMs for the changes to take effect. Use the appropriate command to restart your VMs, considering your preferred method (Azure CLI, PowerShell, or Azure Portal).
3. Verify Write Accelerator status: Once the VMs are restarted, you can verify the status of Write Accelerator. Use the following Azure CLI command to check the status:

az vm show \
--resource-group \
--name \
--query 'storageProfile.dataDisks[].caching'


The command will return the caching status of the data disks associated with your VM.

4. Monitor performance: After configuring Write Accelerator, it is crucial to monitor the performance of your SAP workloads. Azure provides various monitoring tools and metrics that can help you gauge the effectiveness of Write Accelerator. Utilize Azure Monitor, Azure Storage Analytics, or other monitoring solutions to gain insights into your workload’s performance.

Considerations

While Write Accelerator can greatly enhance the performance of your SAP workloads, it is important to consider a few factors:

• Write Accelerator provides benefits primarily for write-intensive workloads. If your workloads have a higher read-to-write ratio, the performance improvement may be limited.
• Consider the impact on durability of data when enabling Write Accelerator. While it enhances performance, Write Accelerator introduces a small risk of data loss in the event of an unexpected system failure. Evaluate the trade-off between performance and data durability based on your specific requirements.

In conclusion, the Write Accelerator feature in Azure offers a powerful optimization capability for SAP workloads. By configuring and enabling Write Accelerator on appropriate VMs and disks, you can substantially improve the performance of your write-intensive SAP applications. Be sure to follow the Azure documentation and monitor the performance closely to ensure optimal results.