January 9, 2009 at 9:35 am
Hi and thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
Our DBA has quit, and left little or no documentation behind in his absence.
Naturally, as a developer I suddenly the lucky new owner of an intricate SQL server 2000 environment! :laugh:
Specs:
Active/Passive clustering setup. 2 Nodes. SQL 2000 version SP3.
Both nodes have windows server 2003 SP2.
The disk array: two (2) HP DL380s comprised together into a single raid 5 disk array.
The cluster is comprised of 6 separate and active sql server instances, and 2 deactivated instances. (not sure of the reason behind so many instances)
(thank goodness) there is a VM environment that effectively matches the production.
On to the question:
I need to upgrade all instances to SP4, and eventually sql server 2005
I have been reading up on upgrading/patching a clustered environment using Microsoft's Whitepapers http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2000/maintain/failclus.mspx
and a KB article on how to install service packs on clustered environments http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;174799
I've already familiarized myself with the SP4 installation process by running it for two instances on my non-clustered local machine, and I understand how it touches the files and the master/temp databases, and affects replication.
Still, due to my lack of familiarity of the environment and the multiple instances, I am not feeling very confident, and of course we want things to run as smoothly as possible, so I wanted to reach out to the "smart guys" who specialize in this arena for any useful links or guidelines/gotchas when you need to do this kind of thing on an instance-by-instance basis.
I would love to have have prep articles or pointers that can help my understanding/confidence of the upgrade process, since I havent dealt with clustering up until now.
Seriously, I thank you for any advice you can offer to a clustering newbie like myself and anyone else who reads this in the future
January 9, 2009 at 11:26 am
Check the below mentioned link
MJ
January 9, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Thanks Manu for pointing out some essential material!
It looks like that section on special clustering considerations you cited only applies to the 64-bit systems, which is a relief for me, since this environment is pure x86!
I am still putting together my plan... So far, I have this:
Use ExoSoft continuous replication as my backup image.
For each node, shut off replication. Disconnect the dependent applications. Run profiler and make sure there is no SQL activity. (I would disconnect the NIC, but that is important for the heartbeat)
Run the setup on the node for each SQL instance.
Bring the apps back online.
Go to the next node.
Can anyone recommend a good book on SQL 2000 administration for clustered environments? I'd love to have one
January 9, 2009 at 2:07 pm
peter, one gotcha in a clustered environment, run the SP from the node the instance is active on, and run it from a share the other node can see. good place is the root of the c drive which is shared out as c$ to everyone.
The service pack will then automatically update both nodes, if the other node has no access to where you install the SP from, it will fail when it tries to do the other node. If this happens SP install is restartable.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply