November 8, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Hi
I am a database developer and expected to a DBA activity for High availability concept.
We have a requirement to set up windows2008 R2 server Cluster environment with SQL 2008 R2 database server on 2 node , in Active to Active mode .
Our requirement is :
1. Need a Cluster Environment with ACTIVE-ACTIVE mode
2. Need a load balancing environment for the software used in the application
a. Sql Server 2008 R2 with MSBI features
b. Two Asp.Net Applications & One Windows Service Application
3. Fail Over Situations even
4. All these we need on Windows Server 2008 R2
Could you please provide a step by step guide to me how to configure it , i also dont see Active To Active configuration setting. I checked on google but documents are not so clear in its concept & steps.
Many thanks in Advance !!
November 9, 2011 at 12:07 am
One thing first.
SQL Server clustering is not load balancing. It's purely high availability. With SQL clustering a database server is active on one node and inactive on the other always. All that 'active-active' means is that you have two different SQL instances with different databases with one running on each node.
You can use load balancing for ASP.net, not for SQL Server.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
November 9, 2011 at 1:37 am
1. Need a Cluster Environment with ACTIVE-ACTIVE mode
SQL Server Clusters supports this.
2. Need a load balancing environment for the software used in the application
a. Sql Server 2008 R2 with MSBI features
SQL Server Clusters are solution for High Availibility NOT for load balancing.
b. Two Asp.Net Applications & One Windows Service Application
These can be load balanced but check with Subject Expert (I am not).
3. Fail Over Situations even
It's possible with SQL Server Clusters
4. All these we need on Windows Server 2008 R2
All, except Load Balancing.
Could you please provide a step by step guide to me how to configure it
Getting Started with SQL Server 2008 R2 Failover Clustering
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189134.aspx
How to: Create a New SQL Server Failover Cluster (Setup)
November 9, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Thanks a lot !!
November 9, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Thanks a lot !!
November 10, 2011 at 5:07 am
To give some more information I would add that:
1.Microsoft does not provide Active/Active clusters but only Active/Passive clusters, also more properly called in MS lingo "Failover Clusters". That means that no load balancing is made between the nodes but only that in case of failure of one or more of its components an application is moved to a specified different node. The same database will never be run on two nodes at the same time as it can be with Oracle.
2.If you have all the instances or applications active on one node you pay only licenses for the active note. If you split the applications as sometimes it is recommended between nodes (OLTP on node 1 and OLAP on node 2 for example) you pay two licenses. This configuration is still an Active Passive cluster because one application is active on one node at a time and passive on the failover node.
3.IIS is not Cluster-aware and it would not be advisable to set it up on a cluster server. You'd better have a couple of virtual machines set up with Windows NLB (economic solution) or with Citrix Netscaler load balancer and accelerator (if you can afford it!)
4. The best expert in SQL cluster is Allan Hirt. Not only his books helped me a lot with many practical tips and tricks to avoid misconfigurations but the also answered to my questions. You won't waste your money buying his books (on Amazon, for example)
Hope this helps!
November 10, 2011 at 6:26 am
1.Microsoft does not provide Active/Active clusters but only Active/Passive clusters, also more properly called in MS lingo "Failover Clusters". That means that no load balancing is made between the nodes but only that in case of failure of one or more of its components an application is moved to a specified different node. The same database will never be run on two nodes at the same time as it can be with Oracle.
Yes, its failover clusters and you may have multiple nodes to failover. You may have a setup for 7 nodes, 5 Active and 2 Passive for failover.
2.If you have all the instances or applications active on one node you pay only licenses for the active note. If you split the applications as sometimes it is recommended between nodes (OLTP on node 1 and OLAP on node 2 for example) you pay two licenses. This configuration is still an Active Passive cluster because one application is active on one node at a time and passive on the failover node.
I believe there is grace period mentioned in the documentation / licensing. You need to buy additional license for another server after grace period only.
3.IIS is not Cluster-aware and it would not be advisable to set it up on a cluster server. You'd better have a couple of virtual machines set up with Windows NLB (economic solution) or with Citrix Netscaler load balancer and accelerator (if you can afford it!)
IIS doesn't need be a cluster aware. It acts as client to DB Server.
4. The best expert in SQL cluster is Allan Hirt. Not only his books helped me a lot with many practical tips and tricks to avoid misconfigurations but the also answered to my questions. You won't waste your money buying his books (on Amazon, for example)
I am not sure. I would like to read more on this.
November 14, 2011 at 4:06 am
Chandan,
If you do not have experience running SQL Server in production, and solving operational issues, then you will struggle with running SQL Server on a cluster.
There are many new ways for problems to happen when you run SQL on a cluster. Definitely spend time on Google searching for problems people have had with SQL Clusters and the solutions offered. Read some books - Alan Hirt has already been recommended. Expect to have problems and learn from them. We have run SQL Clusters for many hears where I work and I have personally built dozens of clusters, but a recent build problem has taken a few days to resolve so even people with experience hit new issues.
FineBuild can automate most of the work needed to build a SQL cluster on top of the Windows cluster, but it cannot give you the skills needed to run it as a production-quality service. If high availability is critical to your organisation and you have no-one who already has this experience, then hire someone who has. The new person can either become part of your team, or be a contractor you use for knowlede transfer.
Original author: https://github.com/SQL-FineBuild/Common/wiki/ 1-click install and best practice configuration of SQL Server 2019, 2017 2016, 2014, 2012, 2008 R2, 2008 and 2005.
When I give food to the poor they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor they call me a communist - Archbishop Hélder Câmara
November 15, 2011 at 1:32 am
chandan_kumar_sahu-987370 (11/8/2011)
HiI am a database developer and expected to a DBA activity for High availability concept.
We have a requirement to set up windows2008 R2 server Cluster environment with SQL 2008 R2 database server on 2 node , in Active to Active mode .
Our requirement is :
1. Need a Cluster Environment with ACTIVE-ACTIVE mode
2. Need a load balancing environment for the software used in the application
a. Sql Server 2008 R2 with MSBI features
b. Two Asp.Net Applications & One Windows Service Application
3. Fail Over Situations even
4. All these we need on Windows Server 2008 R2
Could you please provide a step by step guide to me how to configure it , i also dont see Active To Active configuration setting. I checked on google but documents are not so clear in its concept & steps.
Many thanks in Advance !!
With no experience at all, you are going to be at a disadvantage. You would need to bring yourself up to speed and quickly.
You may follow my 3 part guide on how to deploy a windows\sql cluster from scratch, the first part is at this link[/url].
It would be helpful to carry out this exercise and give you an idea of what is required. You can use NLB to load balance asp.net web applications but I wouldn't attempt this on the cluster servers.
With all due respect this is not something you will learn overnight from a forum post, I am available on a contract basis if you require.
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