What is the usage of Active\Active clustering?

Question

What is the usage of Active\Active clustering?

mah_j

SSCrazy

Points: 2931
More actions
May 28, 2012 at 11:36 pm

#257048

Hi all
I dont know the right concept of Active\Active clustering.
What is the usage of Active\Active clustering?
only one server at a time can open a SQL Server database so we cant use the other instance when the other being used?

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 1

Don't call it active-active, that's a old term. These days it's called 'multi-instance clustering' (because 2 node clusters aren't the only ones you can have anymore).

What 'active-active' means is a 2 node cluster with 2 SQL instances on it, each with their own databases.

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

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

mah_j SSCrazy Points: 2931 More actions · Answer 2

Thank you GilaMonster,you are right.

I know each of them have their own databases

I mean can't we use the instances together?

what does it mean "only one server at a time can open a SQL Server database" ?

does it mean when an application works with instance 1,the other instances can't be used?

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 3

No, that's not what I said. What you're describing is a single instance cluster (what used to be called active-passive)

In a multi-instance cluster there are multiple instances of SQL, each using their own databases, possibly serving different applications and different users. Much the same as having two instances installed on one machine, just it's on a cluster, not a single machine

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

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

mah_j SSCrazy Points: 2931 More actions · Answer 4

mah_j

SSCrazy

Points: 2931

May 29, 2012 at 3:24 am

#1494042

I got it.Thanks alot for your help.

thierry.vandurme Hall of Fame Points: 3340 More actions · Answer 5

Hmm, in my opinion 'active/active' means you have instances running on both nodes. 'Active/passive' would be running all instances on 1 node, leaving the other cluster node(s) idle. If you run 'active/active' you need to license all nodes in the cluster while with 'active/passive' you only need to license 1 node.

With respect to "only one server at a time can open a SQL Server database": that's a bit wrongly phrased I guess. I guess they want to say that an instance can only be active/running on 1 node at a time.