High Availability and Disaster Recovery with Windows Failover Cluster

Jul 13, 2024

Lecture: High Availability and Disaster Recovery with Windows Failover Cluster

Introduction

  • Topic: High Availability and Disaster Recovery - Windows Failover Cluster
  • Sessions: Over the next few sessions, we will cover Windows Failover Cluster in-depth
  • Importance: Transitioning from standalone SQL to SQL on clusters
  • Key Points: Advantages, disadvantages, configuration, additional considerations, unaware services, troubleshooting, Azure services

Planning and Structure

  • Duration: Next 3 to 4 sessions
  • Schedule: Daily sessions on cluster concepts, nightly sessions on additional tools (Visual Studio, SSIS packages)
  • Participation: Students (batches 37, 38, and 39) to stay engaged for the next 15 to 20 days
  • Resources: Discussion group provided for queries and job assistance
  • Goals: Maximize student's understanding and readiness for industry practices
  • Reminder: Emphasis on preparation for interviews, including posting questions and discussing experiences in the group

Achievements and Encouragement

  • Success Story: One student got placed in IBM
  • Motivation: Continuous effort and staying active in sessions will lead to success
  • Job Market Insight: The market is improving; be ready for calls and interviews

SQL Concepts Recap

  • Completed: Log Shipping, Mirroring, Replication (except troubleshooting)
  • Upcoming: Troubleshooting, SSIS packages, always on availability group
  • Tasks: Focus on replication, log shipping, mirroring, and complete end-to-end troubleshooting of SSISDB
  • Sequence: Covering clusters first, followed by availability groups

Cluster Configuration Overview

  • Learning Path: Step-by-step creation and management of Windows Failover Cluster and SQL on Cluster
  • Concepts: Difference between standalone and clustered SQL instances, instance-level vs. database-level features
  • Usage: Windows Failover Clusters applicable to multiple services, including SQL
  • Technical Terms: Nodes, services, shared storage, failover, and troubleshooting

Key Components and Features

  • Nodes and Failover: Discussion on nodes, active vs. passive, and failover mechanisms
  • Clusters: Types of clusters - active-active and active-passive
  • Cluster Services: Managing cluster object configurations, policies, failover operations
  • Network Configuration: Public/Private IPs, heartbeat communication
  • Storage: Shared storage (Sandisks) vs. local disks, potential issues, and Microsoft’s evolution to AlwaysOn availability group

Practical Lab Setup

  • Lab Environment: Creation of VMs, deployment of virtual networks, configuring subnets
  • Firewalls and Ports: Disabling firewalls, enabling necessary ports (like 3389, 5050 for SQL-related ports)
  • Active Directory: Setting up domain controller, DNS server, and ISCSI Target server
  • Cluster Preparation: Installation of required features on nodes (dotnet framework and failover cluster manager)
  • Domain Configuration: Promoting server to domain controller, adding VMs to the domain

Preliminary Steps Completed (Practical)

  • Resource Group: Creation and subnet configuration
  • Virtual Machines: Deployed 3 VMs (one acting as domain controller, sandbox, etc.), installed necessary features and roles
  • Firewall Settings: Disabled firewalls and enabled ports on all VMs
  • Domain Promotion: Promoted server to domain controller, configured DNS settings
  • Cluster Features: Installed active directory, DNS server, ISCSI Target server, and failover cluster on DC; dotnet framework and failover cluster manager on other nodes

To Do in Next Session

  • Storage Configuration: Creating shared storage for cluster
  • Cluster Configuration: Configuring cluster, quorum settings, and active/passive or active/active setup
  • SQL Server Installation: Deploying SQL Server in the clustered environment

Notes

  • Participation: Active involvement in the sessions and discussion group is crucial
  • Upcoming Sessions: Deep dive into practical lab setup, hands-on with storage and cluster configurations
  • Practice Tips: Regularly stop VMs to minimize cost, save configurations to maintain continuity in practice