InfoScale™ 9.0 Cluster Server Implementation Guide for Microsoft SQL Server - Windows

Last Published:
Product(s): InfoScale & Storage Foundation (9.0)
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
      6.  
        Modifying the ESXDetails attribute
    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. 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
    2. Appendix B. Using the virtual MMC viewer
      1.  
        About using the virtual MMC viewer
      2.  
        Viewing DTC transaction information

Managing storage using Windows Logical Disk Manager

If your configuration uses shared disks and volumes that are managed using Windows Logical Disk Manager (LDM), use the VCS Mount and DiskReservation (DiskRes) agents. If you use LDM to manage non-shared local storage, use the VCS Mount and NativeDisks agents.

Before configuring the storage, review the resource types and attribute definitions of these VCS storage agents (Mount, DiskRes, NativeDisks) described in the Cluster Server Bundled Agents Reference Guide.

The following restrictions apply for storage managed using LDM:

  • Mount, DiskRes, and NativeDisks agents are supported on VCS for Windows only. These agents are not supported if the storage is managed using Storage Foundation (SFW).

  • If you are using shared storage, your storage devices must be configured to use SCSI-2 disk reservations. SCSI-3 is not supported.

    SCSI support is not required if you are using non-shared storage.

  • LDM support is not applicable for Disaster Recovery configurations. Currently only HA configurations are supported.

The VCS agent for SQL Server requires that you create two volumes, one for SQL Server data and the other for the registry replication information.

If you are using SQL Server FILESTREAM, create additional volumes for FILESTREAM enabled database objects.

If you will plan to configure an MSDTC service group, create additional volumes for MSDTC log and MSDTC registry replication.

Arctera recommends that you create separate volumes for the following:

  • INST1_DATA_FILES

    Contains the SQL Server system data files (including the master, model, msdb, and tempdb databases).

  • INST1_REGREP_VOL

    Contains the list of registry keys that must be replicated among cluster systems for the SQL Service. Create a 100 MB (minimum recommended size) volume for this purpose.

  • INST1_FS_VOL

    Contains FILESTREAM enabled database objects for the SQL database.

  • INST1_DB1_VOL

    Contains the user database files.

  • INST1_DB1_LOG

    Contains the user database log files.

  • INST1_DB1_FS_VOL

    Contains FILESTREAM enabled database objects for the user database.

If you are using a shared storage configuration, ensure that these volumes are created on shared storage and are accessible from all cluster nodes.

If you are using a non-shared storage configuration, create these volumes separately on the local storage attached to each cluster node.

Perform the following tasks to configure your storage:

More Information

Reserving disks (if you use Windows LDM)

Creating volumes (if you use Windows LDM)

Mounting volumes (if you use Windows LDM)