Cluster Server 8.0 Implementation Guide for Microsoft SQL Server - Windows

Last Published:
Product(s): InfoScale & Storage Foundation (8.0)
Platform: Windows
  1. Section I. Introducing Veritas InfoScale solutions for application high availability
    1. Understanding the InfoScale solutions for application high availability
      1.  
        About the Veritas InfoScale solutions for monitoring SQL Server
      2. About the VCS agents for SQL Server
        1.  
          About the VCS agent for SQL Server Database Engine
        2.  
          About the VCS agent for SQL Server FILESTREAM
        3.  
          About the VCS GenericService agent for SQL Server Agent service and Analysis service
        4.  
          About the agent for MSDTC service
        5.  
          About the monitoring options
      3. How VCS monitors storage components
        1.  
          Shared storage - if you use NetApp filers
        2.  
          Shared storage - if you use SFW to manage cluster dynamic disk groups
        3.  
          Shared storage - if you use Windows LDM to manage shared disks
        4.  
          Non-shared storage - if you use SFW to manage dynamic disk groups
        5.  
          Non-shared storage - if you use Windows LDM to manage local disks
        6.  
          Non-shared storage - if you use VMware storage
      4. How application availability is achieved in a physical environment
        1.  
          Typical SQL Server cluster configuration using shared storage
        2.  
          Typical SQL Server disaster recovery cluster configuration
        3.  
          SQL Server sample dependency graph
        4.  
          MSDTC sample dependency graph
      5. How is application availability achieved in a VMware virtual environment
        1.  
          How the VMwareDisks agent communicates with the vCenter Server instead of the ESX/ESXi host
        2.  
          Typical VCS cluster configuration in a virtual environment
    2. Managing storage and installing the VCS agents
      1. Managing storage using NetApp filer
        1.  
          Connecting virtual disks to the cluster node
        2.  
          Disconnecting virtual disks from the cluster nodes
      2. Managing storage using Windows Logical Disk Manager
        1.  
          Reserving disks (if you use Windows LDM)
        2.  
          Creating volumes (if you use Windows LDM)
        3.  
          Mounting volumes (if you use Windows LDM)
        4.  
          Unassigning a drive letter
        5.  
          Releasing disks (if you use Windows LDM)
      3.  
        Managing storage using VMware virtual disks
      4.  
        About installing the VCS agents
    3. Installing SQL Server
      1.  
        About installing SQL Server for a high availability (HA) configuration
      2.  
        Configuring Microsoft iSCSI initiator
      3.  
        About installing SQL Server on the first system
      4.  
        About installing SQL Server on additional systems
      5.  
        Assigning ports for multiple SQL Server instances
      6.  
        Enabling IPv6 support for the SQL Server Analysis Service
  2. Section II. Configuring SQL Server in a physical environment
    1. Overview
      1.  
        About configuring SQL Server in physical environment
    2. Configuring the VCS cluster
      1.  
        Configuring the cluster using the Cluster Configuration Wizard
      2.  
        Configuring notification
      3.  
        Configuring Wide-Area Connector process for global clusters
    3. Configuring the SQL Server service group
      1.  
        About configuring the SQL Server service group
      2.  
        Before configuring the SQL Server service group
      3. Configuring a SQL Server service group using the wizard
        1.  
          Configuring detail monitoring for a SQL Server instance
        2.  
          Assigning privileges to the existing SQL Server databases and logs
      4.  
        Configuring the service group in a non-shared storage environment
      5.  
        Running SnapManager for SQL Server
      6.  
        About the modifications required for tagged VLAN or teamed network
      7. Making SQL Server user-defined databases highly available
        1.  
          Create volumes or LUNs for SQL Server user-defined databases
        2.  
          Creating SQL Server databases
        3.  
          Adding storage agent resources to the SQL service group
      8. Verifying the service group configuration
        1.  
          Bringing the service group online
        2.  
          Taking the service group offline
        3.  
          Switching the service group
      9. Administering a SQL Server service group
        1.  
          Modifying a SQL service group configuration
        2.  
          Deleting a SQL service group
    4. Configuring an MSDTC service group
      1.  
        About configuring the MSDTC service group
      2.  
        Typical MSDTC service group configuration using shared storage
      3.  
        Before configuring the MSDTC service group
      4.  
        Creating an MSDTC service group
      5.  
        About configuring an MSDTC client
      6.  
        Configuring an MSDTC client
      7.  
        Verifying the installation
    5. Configuring the standalone SQL Server
      1. Typical high availability configuration for a standalone SQL Server setup
        1.  
          Sample configuration
      2. Configuring a standalone SQL Server for high availablility
        1.  
          Moving the existing SQL Server data files and user databases
    6. Configuring an Active/Active cluster
      1. About running SQL Server in an active-active clustered environment
        1.  
          Sample configuration
      2.  
        Setting up the Active/Active cluster
    7. Configuring a disaster recovery setup
      1. Setting up the disaster recovery cluster
        1.  
          Why implement a disaster recovery solution
        2.  
          Understanding replication
        3.  
          What needs to be protected in a SQL Server environment
      2. Configuring a disaster recovery set up for SQL Server
        1.  
          Configuring replication using NetApp SnapMirror
        2.  
          Configuring SnapMirror resources at the primary site
      3. Configuring the Global Cluster Option for wide-area failover
        1.  
          Prerequisites
        2.  
          Linking clusters: Adding a remote cluster to a local cluster
        3.  
          Converting a local service group to a global service group
        4.  
          Bringing a global service group online
      4. Administering global service groups
        1.  
          Taking a remote global service group offline
        2.  
          Switching a remote service group
        3.  
          Deleting a remote cluster
  3. Section III. Configuring SQL Server in a VMware environment
    1. Configuring application monitoring using the Veritas High Availability solution
      1.  
        Deploying the Veritas High Availability solution for configuring application monitoring
      2. Notes and recommendations
        1. Assigning privileges for non-administrator ESX/ESXi user account
          1.  
            Creating a role
          2.  
            Integrating with Active Directory or local authentication
          3.  
            Creating a new user
          4.  
            Adding a user to the role
      3. Configuring application monitoring
        1.  
          Configuring the VCS cluster
        2.  
          Configuring the application
      4.  
        Modifying the ESXDetails attribute
    2. Administering application monitoring
      1.  
        About the various interfaces available for performing application monitoring tasks
      2. Administering application monitoring using the Veritas High Availability tab
        1.  
          Understanding the Veritas High Availability tab work area
        2.  
          To view the status of configured applications
        3.  
          To configure or unconfigure application monitoring
        4.  
          To start or stop applications
        5.  
          To suspend or resume application monitoring
        6.  
          To switch an application to another system
        7.  
          To add or remove a failover system
        8.  
          To clear Fault state
        9.  
          To resolve a held-up operation
        10.  
          To determine application state
        11.  
          To remove all monitoring configurations
        12.  
          To remove VCS cluster configurations
      3.  
        Administering application monitoring settings
      4. Administering application availability using Veritas High Availability dashboard
        1. Understanding the dashboard work area
          1.  
            Aggregate status bar
          2.  
            ESX cluster/host table
          3.  
            Taskbar
          4.  
            Filters menu
          5.  
            Application table
        2.  
          Monitoring applications across a data center
        3.  
          Monitoring applications across an ESX cluster
        4.  
          Searching for application instances by using filters
        5.  
          Selecting multiple applications for batch operations
        6.  
          Starting an application using the dashboard
        7.  
          Stopping an application by using the dashboard
        8.  
          Entering an application into maintenance mode
        9.  
          Bringing an application out of maintenance mode
        10.  
          Switching an application
  4. Section IV. Appendixes
    1. Appendix A. Troubleshooting
      1.  
        VCS logging
      2.  
        VCS Cluster Configuration Wizard (VCW) logs
      3.  
        VCWsilent logs
      4.  
        NetApp agents error messages
      5. Error and warning messages from VCS agent for SQL Server
        1.  
          Messages from the VCS agent for SQL Server Database Engine
        2.  
          Messages from the VCS agent for SQL Server FILESTREAM
        3.  
          Messages from the VCS agent for SQL Server Agent service and Analysis service
        4.  
          SQL Server Analysis service (MSOLAP) service fails to come online with "invalid context of address" error
        5.  
          Messages from the VCS agent for MSDTC
      6. Troubleshooting application monitoring configuration issues
        1.  
          Running the 'hastop - all' command detaches virtual disks
        2.  
          Validation may fail when you add a failover system
        3.  
          Adding a failover system may fail if you configure a cluster with communication links over UDP
      7. Troubleshooting Veritas High Availability view issues
        1.  
          Veritas High Availability tab not visible from a cluster node
        2.  
          Veritas High Availability tab does not display the application monitoring status
        3.  
          Veritas High Availabilitytab may freeze due to special characters in application display name
        4.  
          Veritas High Availability view may fail to load or refresh
        5.  
          Operating system commands to unmount resource may fail
    2. Appendix B. Using the virtual MMC viewer
      1.  
        About using the virtual MMC viewer
      2.  
        Viewing DTC transaction information

Configuring the VCS cluster

VCS cluster configuration involves selecting the virtual machines on which you want to configure monitoring and setting up the network communication links between the selected virtual machines.

To configure the VCS cluster

  1. Launch the vSphere Client and connect to the vCenter Server that manages the virtual machine. On the Inventory view of the vCenter Server, in the left pane, select the virtual machine where you want to configure application monitoring. Then, in the right pane, select the Veritas High Availability tab.
  2. On the Veritas High Availability view, click Configure a VCS Cluster. This launches the VCS cluster configuration wizard. Unless you configure a cluster, you cannot configure an application for monitoring.
  3. On the Welcome panel, review the pre-requisites and then click Next.
  4. On the Configuration Inputs panel, specify the systems for the VCS cluster operations and the user account details for each system.

    Note:

    The specified user account must have administrative privileges on the system.

    The Cluster systems lists the systems that are included in the cluster configuration. The local system is selected by default.

    To add more systems, click Add System and then on the Add System dialog box, specify the following details of the system that you want to add to the VCS cluster.

    System Name or IP address

    Specify the name or IP address of the system that you want to add to the VCS cluster.

    User name

    Specify the user account for the system. The user name must be in the domain.com\username.

    Note:

    The specified user must be a domain user having administrative privileges on all the selected system.

    Password

    Specify the password for the user account mentioned.

    Use the specified user account on all systems

    Uses the specified user account on all the cluster systems. This option is selected by default.

    The wizard validates the system details and then adds the system to VCS cluster system list.

  5. Skip this step if you do not want to modify the default security settings for your cluster.

    To modify the security settings for the cluster, on the Configuration Inputs panel, click Advanced Settings . In the Advanced settings dialog box, specify the following details and then click OK.

    Use Single Sign-on

    Select to configure single sign-on using VCS Authentication Service for cluster communication.

    This option is enabled by default.

    Use VCS user privileges

    Select to configure a user with administrative privileges to the cluster.

    Specify the user name and password and click OK.

  6. On the Network Details panel, select the type of communication for the VCS cluster and then select the adapters to configure the communication links.

    Depending on the network over which you want to configure the links, select:

    • Use MAC address for cluster communication (LLT over Ethernet) : The LLT over ethernet communication configures the links over the non-routed network. Choose this mode only if the failover target systems reside in the same subnet.

    • Use IP address for cluster communication (LLT over UDP): The LLT over UDP communication configures the links over the routed network. You choose this mode regardless of whether the failover target systems reside in the same subnet or in different subnets. You can select only those adapters that have an IP address.

    You must select a minimum of two adapters per system.

    Veritas recommends the following:

    • IP addresses that are assigned to the selected adapters should be in different subnets.

    • One of the network adapters must be a public adapter. You may assign low priority to the VCS cluster communication link that uses the public adapter.

    Network Adapter

    Select a network adapter for the communication links.

    You must select a different network adapter for each communication link.

    To configure links over UDP, select the IP version and then specify the required details for each communication link.

    Note:

    Do not select the teamed network adapters and the independently listed adapters that are a part of the teamed NIC.

    IP Address

    Specify the IP address for cluster communication over the specified UDP port.

    Port

    Specify a unique port number for each link. You can use ports in the range 49152 to 65535.

    A specified port for a link is used for all the cluster systems on that link.

    Subnet mask

    Displays the subnet masks to which the specified IP belongs.

    By default, the VCS cluster communication link that uses the public adapter is configured as low-priority link. To change the priority, click Modify. In the Modify low-priority link dialog box, select the link and click OK.

    For information about adding or changing the selected network links after the configuration workflow is complete, see the Cluster Server Administrator's Guide.

  7. On the Configuration Summary panel, specify a cluster name and a cluster ID of your choice. Review the VCS cluster configuration details and then click Next to initiate the configuration.

    If the network contains multiple clusters, the wizard verifies the cluster ID with the IDs assigned to all the accessible clusters in the network. The wizard does not validate the assigned ID with the clusters that are not accessible during the validation. Veritas recommends you to validate the uniqueness of the assigned ID in the existing network.

  8. On the Implementation panel, the wizard displays the VCS cluster configuration tasks and the status of each task. After all the tasks are complete, click Next.

    If the configuration tasks fail, click Diagnostic information to check the details of the failure.

    Rectify the cause of the failure and run the wizard again to configure the VCS cluster.

  9. On the Finish panel, click Finish to complete the wizard workflow. This step completes the VCS cluster configuration.

    The Veritas High Availability view now displays the link to configure an application for high availability.