Tips for Upgrading a Cluster to SQL 2008 - Part 2

Question

Tips for Upgrading a Cluster to SQL 2008 - Part 2

Ale Pelc

SSCrazy

Points: 2421
More actions
March 19, 2012 at 10:08 pm

#266055

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Tips for Upgrading a Cluster to SQL 2008 - Part 2
Alejandro Pelc

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply

Alex Friedman Right there with Babe Points: 755 More actions · Answer 1

In this case, the only difference is that after performing the upgrade, the setup process automatically fails over the resources to another node.

Doesn't the setup automatically fail over the resources before the upgrade?

That was the case on my environment, so if that’s the case on yours too it’s time to install the service pack for SQL 2008.

It's a good idea to slipstream the SPs into the main installation, so that you don't need to install them separately.

Megistal SSCrazy Eights Points: 8787 More actions · Answer 2

Wouldn't have been quicker to slipstream the service pack and performing both the upgrade and the service pack at the same time?

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/petersad/archive/2009/02/25/sql-server-2008-creating-a-merged-slisptream-drop.aspx

Ale Pelc SSCrazy Points: 2421 More actions · Answer 3

That is completely true, it would have been quicker if I slipstream the service pack into the installation files. I didn't face it that way because not all companies follow the same patch level rules and procedures, so I wanted to separate the process into Upgrade and the Update.

Thanks,

Alejandro

Alejandro Pelc

Aldo Gonzalez SSC Enthusiast Points: 149 More actions · Answer 4

Aldo Gonzalez

SSC Enthusiast

Points: 149

March 20, 2012 at 9:01 am

#1461689

Thank you for sharing Alejandro.

eric.lyons SSC Eights! Points: 860 More actions · Answer 5

You completed with:

At this point, all passive nodes has the service pack installed and it’s time to perform the update on the active node (serverA), so connect to it and perform the installation of the service pack. The process won’t be different at all as the one on the other nodes as we’ll update one instance at the time. Once the three instances were updated, the SQL Instances 1, 2 and 3 are at the same patch level on all nodes.

Question:

Did you fail over to another server first before upgrading the final server?

*****

Give a man a fish, and you've given him a meal. Teach a man to fish and he'll ask to borrow your boat.:-P

Ale Pelc SSCrazy Points: 2421 More actions · Answer 6

Hi Eric,

No, I didn't fail over the resources on the last server. That will be handled by the service pack installation process as it will failover automatically the instances, so there's no need to do it manually.

Regards,

Alejandro

Alejandro Pelc

Aijaz Ali Grasshopper Points: 17 More actions · Answer 7

Hi Alejandro,

Thanks for this nice post. However I have few questions. I have active/active two nodes cluster setup with one node SQL Server 2008 R2 and the other node SQL Server 2005. Now the application manager wants me to upgrade the SQL 2005 node to SQL 2008 R2. The databases on 2005 instance are having Compatibility Level of SQL 2000 and he does not want to change that so databases will still be SQL 2000 even after SQL upgrade to 2008 R2.

In this scenario I think in-place upgrade is the only option I have. But what is the biggest risk? AND Does in-place upgrade process will also upgrade my databases to 2008 R2 level?

Note: OS is Windows 2008 R2 on both nodes.