Proper Shutdown of SQL Servers in a Cluster

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Proper Shutdown of SQL Servers in a Cluster

LuanneLindeman

SSChasing Mays

Points: 607
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July 11, 2003 at 8:03 am

#63325

Hi, First time posting and I'm a newbie. Can anyone tell me the proper steps for how to shutdown both SQL servers in an active/passive cluster. Do I first stop SQL services running on the cluster -then do physical shutdown of the passive node and then active node? Do I also have to stop cluster services prior to shutting down? Or does it not really make a difference - SQL will take care of itself in a power down? I can find procedures on how to properly stop services but not how to shutdown the servers properly. Thanks for your help!

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Shas3 Hall of Fame Points: 3671 More actions · Answer 1

I recently started using Shutgui.exe. This shuts down or reboots your system depending on the options you choose. Once the primary node comes up, I reboot the other one with the same tool. Here is a link to download the utility. There are bunch of other utilities, you may want to use the search for shutgui.exe

http://www.dynawell.com/support/ResKit/win2k.asp

Shas3

Allen Cui-55137 SSC Guru Points: 51650 More actions · Answer 2

quote:
Can anyone tell me the proper steps for how to shutdown both SQL servers in an active/passive cluster.

Shutdown the application, Use Cluster Administrator to take SQL Server resources offline, shutdown the passive node and then the active node.

K. Brian Kelley SSC Guru Points: 114642 More actions · Answer 3

I'll second Allen.

Don't use any of the typical tools that work great on a non-clustered system. You must treat clusters differently because you have two (or more) servers that are interconnected.

That means no Service Control Manager, no Enterprise Manager, no NET STOP, no Services.msc, or anything of that sort.

BTW, if you need to script the shutdown, you can use the cluster command in order to bring resources off-line and then back on-line.

For instance:

cluster /cluster:<Cluster Name> group "<SQL Server Group Name>" /OFFLINE

Then go about the shutdown with the normal tools first with the passive then the (formerly) active node.

K. Brian Kelley

http://www.truthsolutions.com/

Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring

http://www.netimpress.com/shop/product.asp?ProductID=NI-SQL1

K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley

LuanneLindeman SSChasing Mays Points: 607 More actions · Answer 4

quote:
Thank you for your help. Sorry if I'm being a knucklehead, but I want to be very specific:
1. Go to start - programs - administrative tools and then cluster administrator
2. Highlight the resources
3. Highlight and right click on SQL Server, SQL Server Agent and SQL Server Full Text and take each offline
4. Then go to start - programs - shutdown
Is that all? I guess it makes sense to not stop cluster service right because you want that to be on when it comes back up so that it can then start up the SQL service on whichever node it wants to? Am I thinking right about this?
quote:
Can anyone tell me the proper steps for how to shutdown both SQL servers in an active/passive cluster.
Shutdown the application, Use Cluster Administrator to take SQL Server resources offline, shutdown the passive node and then the active node.

K. Brian Kelley SSC Guru Points: 114642 More actions · Answer 5

It's probably easier to bring the entire group offline and then bring it online after the reboot.

The cluster service is just that, a service. It's typically set to start up automatically on reboot (you check this with services.msc). On a cluster, SQL Server and the Agent should be set to manual since the cluster service will determine when to start them.

K. Brian Kelley

http://www.truthsolutions.com/

Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring

http://www.netimpress.com/shop/product.asp?ProductID=NI-SQL1

K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley

jay_durai SSC Rookie Points: 27 More actions · Answer 6

Reboot one after the other node, never shutdown both at the same time.

Use Cluster Administrator to initiate failure so the other nodes becomes the owner of all resources. Never take 'Off Line' use initiate failure.

neder SSC Eights! Points: 888 More actions · Answer 7

Agree with Jay_durai. I dont see a need why you are on a cluster env and need to shutodwn the nodes at the same time. If you are doing maintenance (not SQL) on the servers, perform the activities first on the passive node(designated secondary), then initiate the failure using the cluster admin and perform your activities on the other node (designated primary). you may want to bring your resources back to your primary server.

LuanneLindeman SSChasing Mays Points: 607 More actions · Answer 8

quote:
Hi, I guess I should have explained that we had a serious power outage and our USP gave the network admin 10 minutes in which to shutdown all servers. We kept getting irratic power with surges -things like that so she decided to do a hard shutdown of all the servers and the question came up as to how she should have properly done that. This was not a case of needing to initiate a failover but of literally shutting down the SQL cluster. Hope this helps clarify. Thanks to all for your responses!
Agree with Jay_durai. I dont see a need why you are on a cluster env and need to shutodwn the nodes at the same time. If you are doing maintenance (not SQL) on the servers, perform the activities first on the passive node(designated secondary), then initiate the failure using the cluster admin and perform your activities on the other node (designated primary). you may want to bring your resources back to your primary server.

K. Brian Kelley SSC Guru Points: 114642 More actions · Answer 9

I have a shutdown script where I shutdown one server about 30 seconds after the second just for the case you've indicated. This ensures the nodes go down gracefully and you don't have the cluster service trying to bounce between the two.

K. Brian Kelley

http://www.truthsolutions.com/

Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring

http://www.netimpress.com/shop/product.asp?ProductID=NI-SQL1

K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley

LuanneLindeman SSChasing Mays Points: 607 More actions · Answer 10

quote:
Can you share an example of that script and does it run from sql server agent?
I have a shutdown script where I shutdown one server about 30 seconds after the second just for the case you've indicated. This ensures the nodes go down gracefully and you don't have the cluster service trying to bounce between the two.
K. Brian Kelley
http://www.truthsolutions.com/
Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring
http://www.netimpress.com/shop/product.asp?ProductID=NI-SQL1

K. Brian Kelley SSC Guru Points: 114642 More actions · Answer 11

it's a .cmd file and I use shutdown.exe from the Resource Kit, though I'll be switching that to psshutdown because it honors the power down as well. It's manually executed by an administrator if needed.

K. Brian Kelley

http://www.truthsolutions.com/

Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring

http://www.netimpress.com/shop/product.asp?ProductID=NI-SQL1

K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley

Baldini Newbie Points: 9 More actions · Answer 12

Hi!.

I have the same question on how to make a safe shutdown of all the server in my Active-Active-Active-Active SQL2000 cluster on Win2003 IA64 System. Any body have an Idea on what the Proper way is to do it?

Best regards

Baldini