First thing I would do is make sure the CPU cores have dedicated frequencies set in your hypervisor.

• Open vSphere Client and go to your VM.

• Right-click the VM → Edit Settings.

• Go to the "VM Options" tab or "Resources" tab depending on version.

• Under CPU, adjust the following:

  • Reservation: Set the specific amount of MHz to match what the physical CPU model is capable of (IE: 2600, 3600)

I can't count how many times this was not set and the 2.6Ghz processor cores were only running at 100Mhz because other VMs were using them. You never want to share your primary app or SQL server cores. They will be needed in full when it comes time to compute.

If your workflow still takes 1 hour to run with all cores dedicated and maxed out, then check the activities tab to see which activity is causing the performance problem. It is perfectly normal for the CPU to reach 90%+ when it is needed for a job, as the computer wants to finish it as fast as possible. The real question is why it is taking so long to finish.