SAN not starting fast enough for sql

  • I've just finished installing a dell SAN on our network, have the new servers up and running 2008R2, just installed sql R2, and I believe sql is starting so fast, that the SAN isnt up yet, and the databases cant be started. If I restart sql, then all the databases can be accessed.

    I had two solutions, but cant work them out. I would either

    1. put a startup parameter in the sql service that waits 60 seconds, or

    2. run a powershell script after startup that net starts the sql service.

    In the first instance, I cant seem to get a startup parameter to take in the properties screen... do I need to it in the registry? I wanted to just run a ps1 script that waited 60 seconds... then sql can go ahead and start.

    in the second, I end up not being able to run as administrator, even though I am one, and then it starts any time anybody logs on... but still fails because its not running as admin.

    am I missing something really easy? I've been all over the internet and cant find a way to delay the start of a service. You think that might be common.

    Thank you, sqlservercentral.

  • Well, pretty much, we start the SAN, get it online and tested, and then start up SQL Server. They are two, completely seperate operations and even managed by two completely seperate groups. But even if they weren't, if I were the only person involved, I'd still take the same approach. Instead of just flipping all the on switches on all the servers, start them up in order, validate their startup, then move to the next.

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  • I see your point, but I got it.

    I had to use windows scheduler to run at strartup, call a batch file that calls a powershell script that waits 2 minutes(1 was too short) and then start the services. I feel that I need this in place in case of power outage. If the battery shuts the computers down in the middle of the night, and power is restored, I dont want to have to manually do anything.

  • I guess I'm operating with a bigger budget. We've got two different backup generators that can each power the whole data center for about 72 hours without power interruption (two in case one breaks). The last thing I'm worried about is the SAN being offline. I have a gazillion other worries, but that's not on the list.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • I think your solution is likely a good one given your constraints. In people that I've known with this issue, the SAN is always started first, before anyone punches on a server. Since most require a manual restart when power has dropped, this isn't an issue.

  • This article might help: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/19388

    Also, you could try modifying the Recovery values for the service. Set the Restart Service for the First Failure and set the value to 2 minutes. This should automatically try to restart SQL Server after it fails the first time. Check out the other properties, you might want to reset the fail count and/or set other properties.

    Make sure you also modify the SQL Server agent properties so it does not try to restart the service.

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  • What method are you using to connect to your SAN.

    Fibre channel or iSCSI?

    We had a situation where the iSCSI service wouldn't start before SQL Server, rendering the databases suspect.

    We got around this problem by putting in a dependancy in the SQL Server Server on the iSCSI service starting first.

    We didn't experience this problem with Fibre channel as there isn't a fibre channel service.

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