This is the second of three Blog entries where a Windows 2008 Failover Cluster is being built that consists of 3 Nodes running SQL 2008 Failover Cluster Services. An 'Application Cluster' of this configuration is acceptable for a number of different 'Cluster Aware Applications' designed for Windows 2008 and SQL 2008 Failover Clustering.
Here are the Blog entries that comprise the aggregate solution:
Windows 2008 Failover Clustering: Configuring SQL 2008 for Failover Clustering - Part 1 of 3
Windows 2008 Failover Clustering: Configuring SQL 2008 for Failover Clustering - Part 2 of 3 (this Blog entry!)
Windows 2008 Failover Clustering: Configuring SQL 2008 for Failover Clustering - Part 3 of 3
First, I will build the Windows 2008 Failover Cluster using 3 Nodes and a Node Majority for the Quorum Configuration. Here is that completed work.
Figure A - 3 Node Windows 2008 Failover Cluster. This is built in Blog Part 1 and 2.
Then I will build the Application Cluster running Windows 2008 Failover Clustering and SQL 2008 Failover Clustering Services.
Figure B - 3 Node Windows 2008 Failover Cluster with SQL 2008 Failover Cluster across all Nodes. This is built in Blog Part 3.
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Figure 1 - Now that a 3 Node Failover Cluster is available on Windows 2008 I begin to evaluate if the configuration is suitable to support Failover, moving Nodes Offline (for Patching) and if the Cluster is ready for the next step of Installing Clustered DTS Services in advance of SQL 2008 Failover Services. I begin by Logging on in a User Context of a Domain User who is Local Administrator and 'Full Cluster Administrator' (cluster-os-install-admin-1).
Figure 2 - I select the 'Failover Cluster Management' MMC and observe the 'Current Host Server' is 'b01-node-1', or, Node 1 of 3 in our Cluster (app-cluster-01.corp.itpslab.local). The Quorum Configuration is 'Node Majority' which is appropriate for a 3 Node Cluster.
Figure 3 - Selecting the 'Node' leaf and highlighting Node 1 (b01-node-1) I observe the Disk and Network Resources 'matched' to this Cluster Node. It is my intention to 'Move' these Resources (the Disk specifically) to another Cluster Node. I will complete this using an Administrative Command Prompt.
Figure 4 - I invoke a Command Prompt from the 'Quick Launch Bar' where many of the most frequently used Application Short Cuts are placed. Upon selecting the 'Command Prompt', I then select 'Run As Administrator' and 'Accept' the User Account Control popup.
Figure 5 - In an 'Administrative Command Prompt' I issue the 'cluster group' Command to identify Cluster Groups by Name and the associated Node controlling those Groups and Resources. Notice the 'Status' is readily available confirming the Health of our Cluster Nodes.
Figure 6 - Next, I issue the 'cluster group "available storage" /move:b01-node2', and, 'cluster group "cluster group" /move:b01-node-2" Commands (respectively). These 2 Commands move the 'Available Storage' and 'Cluster Group' from Node 1(b01-node-1) to Node 2(b01-node-2).
Figure 7 - Now, issuing the 'cluster group' Command a second time confirms 'movement' from Node 1 to Node 2 of these Cluster Groups. This is a good sign the Cluster is functioning correctly.
Figure 8 - Using the 'Failover Cluster Management' MMC and selecting 'b01-node-1' in the 'Nodes' leaf I notice the provisioned LUNs (Disk Drives) no longer appear 'associated' with Node 1 (b01-node-1). They should appropriately appear 'associated' with Node 2 (b01-node-2).
Figure 9 - Success! The LUNs appear associated with Cluster Node 2 (b01-node-2) after being moved using the 'cluster.exe' Command Line parameters. This same type of endeavor will be completed to move Resources and Groups to Cluster Node 3 (b01-node-3).
Figure 10 - In the 'Failover Cluster Management' MMC we observe the 'Current Host Server' to be 'b01-node-2' (instead of 'b01-node-1' as prior to the Commands to 'Move' Groups). This visual feedback confirms capability to move 'Groups' between Nodes.
Figure 11 - In a change of focus of the 'Failover Cluster Management' MMC with a selection of the 'Services and Applications' leaf it is evident that no 'Service or Application' has been configured for this Application Cluster. In preparation for a SQL 2008 Failover Cluster Installation, I will move to a Windows 2008 Domain Controller to generate the appropriate User IDs and Domain Global Security Groups (DGSGs).
Figure 12 - I move next to Login to a Windows 2008 Active Directory Domain Controller. This Virtualized Lab Configuration has both the Forest and Domain Functional Levels at 'Windows 2008'. The User Context is a 'Domain Admin'.
Figure 13 - The Host Name for this Windows 2008 Domain Controller is 'b01-dc01'. I will create a list of User IDs and DGSGs for consumption by SQL 2008 Failover Clustering.
Figure 14 - In the Organizational Unit (OU) titled 'Application Failover Cluster' I generated several User IDs and a DGSG. Here is the summary list:
- app-db-01 SQL Full Admins - Role is a 'Full Administrator' of the SQL 2008 Database.
- app-db-01-sql-agent - Role is 'Service Admin' for the SQL 2008 SQL Agent Service on the Cluster.
- app-db-01-sql-db - Role is 'Service Admin' for the SQL 2008 Database Service on the Cluster.
- app-db-01-sql-rs - Role is 'Service Admin' for the SQL 2008 Reporting Services Service on the Cluster.
Figure 15 - Next, I create one additional Domain User titled 'sql_admin_1' which I add as a 'Member' of the 'app-db-01 SQL Full Admins' DGSG.
Figure 16 - I then move back to Cluster Node 1 (b01-node-1) to initiate the Installation of Data Transformation Services. I login as 'cluster-os-install-admin-1' who is a Local Administrator and 'Full Cluster Admin'.
Figure 17 - Installation of a Clustered DTS Service occurs by selecting 'Configure a Service or Application' from the 'Failover Cluster Management' MMC.
Figure 18 - The 'High Availability Wizard' begins to allow selection of a list of 'pre-defined Cluster Aware Services'. Clustered DTS is among the list of available Services for Clustering on Windows 2008.
Figure 19 - I select 'Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC)' from the list of Services and begin the Installation process.
Figure 20 - By default the 'Client Access Point' for DTC is 'app-cluster-dtc'. I select the default value and provide a unique IP Address of '192.168.1.66' for the Clustered DTS Service.
Figure 21 - In the 'LUN Provisioning Process' I identified the requirement for a small, dedicated LUN for the Clustered DTS Service. I use the 'G:\' Drive for placement of the DTC Database.
Figure 22 - Upon acceptance of the basic criteria for the Clustered DTC Service I proceed with the installation.
Figure 23 - A successful installation of a Clustered DTC Service follows, including access to a Summary Report from the 'View Report' button on the 'High Availability Wizard' dialogue window.
Figure 24 - Analysis of the 'Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC)' Summary Report outlines the steps followed to Cluster DTC Services on Windows 2008.
Figure 25 - The 'Failover Cluster Management' MMC now offers the Clustered DTC Service as part of the 'Services and Applications' in this Failover Cluster configuration. Note the dedicated 'IP Address' (192.168.1.66) and dedicated LUN (Disk Drive - G:\). We are moving closer to the SQL 2008 Failover Cluster Installation.
Figure 26 - Use of an 'Administrative Command Prompt' while issuing the 'cluster group' Command yields details regarding the 'app-cluster-dtc' Group associated with Node 2 of the Cluster (b01-node-2).
Figure 27 - Use of the 'cluster res' Command offers details on the 'Resources' associated with the Clustered DTC Service. We have met our objective to prepare a Windows 2008 Failover Cluster with appropriate configuration parameters to permit installation of SQL 2008 Failover Cluster Services.
Summary: In this Blog entry, the second of three, I follow step-by-step procedures to 1) Validate Failover of a 3 Node Cluster Configuration, and 2) Installation of a Clustered DTS Service in preparation for the SQL 2008 Failover Configuration. The 3 Node Cluster will be used to Install and Configure SQL 2008 Failover Clustering Services.
Free Video Lessons on Windows 2008 SP2 Failover Cluster Nodes for Highly Available File Services- http://www.exchangesummit.net
Posted
Aug 03 2009, 03:03 PM
by
lynn lunik