How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Nigel — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:04:41 GMT

Great document! I was getting a problem with MSDTC failing at failover, your MSDTC guidance got that fixed. Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

rhinze — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:08:21 GMT

Great series! Thank you for the work you put into all five articles!

One question: you mention the previous creation of the user, sqlsvc, and the group,SQL Admin Groups. But I cannot find that reference anyway else in the series. Are there any specifics to their creation? This is exactly where sql setup is failing on me, as it cannot 'see' and verify either the user or the group.

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

Rick Hinze

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:21:17 GMT

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the feedback. I have added details to created domain account and group in the beginning of 5th part of series. Hope you will find it useful

Regards,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Satish Kumar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:26:53 GMT

I am still child in this tech, i am using you r document to complete my cluster installation

thank you so much if i need u r help i will ask u definetly , i think u will not say no to help in this

thank you

Satish

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:36:30 GMT

Hi Satish,

Thanks for the comment. Feel free to ask question on this blog and I will reply to them as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Jide — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:42:12 GMT

ALl I can say is youve given me something to do over the weekend and Im thankful for it!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge mate.

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:10:17 GMT

Hi Jide,

I am happy to hear that you would be using my blog to learn something new and help your business grow.

In case, you feel you need help please feel free to comment and I will reply them ASAP (unless I am not sleeping)

Thanks,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

WilliamB — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:49:07 GMT

part 5 step 1 mentions log off node2. When should this node be re-started and re-logged on?

Excellent article and well worth the study.

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:14:54 GMT

Hi William,

Thanks for the feedback.

This step is required as work around of issue mentioned in KB.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910851/en-us

Once SQL Setup is complete, you can log back in.

Did I answer your question?

-Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Robin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:43:22 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

Thank you very much for guide.

Really an EYE Opener for me regarding the virtual HD stuff as it eliminates the third party iSCSI Target software.

Thanks again!

br,

Robin

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Rama — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:26:15 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

Nice article, I've tried it on my virtual server. The system Configuration Check is success , but in the last part I always got an errors when tried to install SQL 2005,

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 9.00.1399.06

==============================

OS Version : Microsoft Windows Server 2003 family, Enterprise Edition Service PACk 2 (Build 3790)

Time : Mon Feb 2009

SQLNODE1 : The current system does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for

this SQL Server release. For detailed hardware and software requirements, see the readme file or SQL Server Books Online.

Task did not appear to start on machine: \\SQLNODE2

My cluster admin just doing fine, both of node bring online.

JFYI my VS node spec is:

-RAM 512

- Shared disk : 16 GB for system (C), 3 GB for Data (X), 512 MB for Quorum(Q) and 512 MB for MSDTC (M)

Do you have any suggestion?

Thanks,

Rama

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:03:55 GMT

As per error it looks like you are running setup from SQLNode1. So few things to check..

1. If you are running setup from CD disk (ISO Image), make sure that you able to access \\SQLNODE1 from SQLNODE2 and the setup files share. It would be better if you can copy the setup files on C drive and then run the setup.

2. Make sure all sessions are logged off from SQLNODE2. There is a bug in SQL Setup which will cause setup to fail if you have any session open on remote node. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910851/en-us

Let me know if it does not help.

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Rama — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:34:19 GMT

Hi,

Thanks, that's a good idea, I've tried to copy source CD to C: and running setup smoothly till finish :)

A few to ask, after setup finish if i opened the SQLNODE2 i can't find the shared disk (Q , M or I), from device management i found unknown/unreadable for 3 shared disk except C: . Is that a normal condition?

And how to test SQLNODE1 fail over to SQLNODE2?

Many thanks for the answer.

Rama

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:00:53 GMT

That's the behaviour of cluster (share nothing model). Disk would be visible to the node which owns the disk.

To test failover, you can open cluster Administrator (start>run>cluadmin) and do "Right click, Move Group" on SQL Group to check failover.

Thanks

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Manish — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:07:35 GMT

Such a beautiful article, what a beautiful explanation, WOW. Nice job balmukund keep it up.

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

hninwailwin — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:18:23 GMT

Hi,

We definitely need to install SQL 2005 enterprise edition for 2 node clusters? I tried many times SQL cluster with another VMware but not successful.So need to use microsoft virtual server?

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:27:17 GMT

Hi hninwailwin,

I have used Virtual Server because I know how to configure it. I am not an expert in VMWare but I have seen many customer using VMWare.

As per http://support.microsoft.com/?id=956893 few Virtualization products are supported by Microsoft.

Please remember that if you are using two guest machine on same host machine and making cluster between them then it is currently not supported as of today (also explained in KB above)

Could you please let me know what kind of error you are facing?

Regards,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

hninwailwin — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:51:25 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

Thank for your reply.I faced the problem is that after installing the window cluster, MSDTC service is terminated automatically.So I install msdtc.exe from command line.But one time only msdtc group online and when I move MSDTC group to node2,it is fail. And when I move SQL group to node2, it is also SQL server and agent resource can't bring online. I tried many times.Now I very disappoint and my company also blame me. So I also want to know need to use SQL 2005 enterprise edition or standard edition? I use VMware. It is VMwares fault? But I can create file share group and it can do fail over very well.

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

hninwailwin — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:55:49 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

Yes I used 2 VMware in same host and making cluster between them.

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:09:01 GMT

As I said many customers using VMWare and not sure if its fault. Is there a possibility is that the media you have for OS is corrupt?

> What is the error in event log when you try to bring resources online.

> Try below...

msdtc -uninstall

msdtc -install

msdtc -resetlog

Make sure you configure network dtc access as described in KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/899191

Guest clustering is not supported by Microsoft as mentioned in http://support.microsoft.com/?id=956893

SQL Standard edition and Enterprise, both would work on cluster. Standard supports only two nodes along with other limitations.

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

hninwailwin — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:12:32 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

When I create the MSDTC group, I got the error is that can't create the MSDTC group because it is already exists. I found this MSDTC group in Cluster group so I deleted the MSDTC resource from cluster group. After that I can create the MSDTC resource in MSDTC group . Is it normal?

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:14:37 GMT

That's perfectly normal on windows 2003. YOu can have only one MSDTC resource per cluster.

This has changed in Windows 2008 where you can have multiple clustered MSDTC.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754933(WS.10).aspx

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

hninwailwin — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:18:08 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

I got this error in installation setup. SQL server browser can't startup service.

Please what is this? I need to create 3 users and need to choose this all users for 3 services?

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:32:14 GMT

you need to do that in Active Directory (Domain Controller)

What is the error you are facing? Please post the exact error message.

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

hninwailwin — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:25:39 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

Thanks alot. I can failover now. Really thanks.

Something is if without installing IIS, can we install SQL server? And then I installed IIS for installing SQL server but after that I unstall IIS,will SQL server working fine and will clustering failover working fine?

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:00:40 GMT

IIS and SQL ENgine are not linked to each other.

SQL Server Reproting Services is the dependent component. So, if you are not using Reporting Services then you can play with IIS, it won't harm.

-B

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

KiKi — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:26:14 GMT

Hi,

When I istall SQL cluster, after installing database services,it is go on to the installation of workstation components. At that time I got the error. "Remote Setup fail". Please help me. I checked on the node2, task scheduler service also running.

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:20:07 GMT

may be you are hitting into known issue.

Please make sure that you log off (not shutdown) from node 2 while running setup from node 1.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910851

You receive error messages when you try to set up a clustered instance of SQL Server 2005

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Anurag — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:13:02 GMT

Hi,

The Remote Setup is failing during installation of workstation components. The task scheduler services are running on both the nodes and I am logged off from node1. I have checked the setup log files and following contents are present on node 2.

Clustered feature detected: SQL_Engine

Clustered feature detected: SQL_FullText

Loaded DLL:C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\sqlsval.dll Version:2005.90.1399.0

Source File Name: datastore\cachedpropertycollection.cpp

Compiler Timestamp: Fri Jul 29 01:13:49 2005

Function Name: CachedPropertyCollection::findProperty

Source Line Number: 130

----------------------------------------------------------

Failed to find property "IPResources" {"VirtualServerInfo", "", "VirtualSQL"} in cache

Source File Name: datastore\cachedpropertycollection.cpp

Compiler Timestamp: Fri Jul 29 01:13:49 2005

Function Name: VirtualServerInfo.IPResources

Source Line Number: 113

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:08:06 GMT

Hi Anurag,

Are you sure that Workstaion components are failing on remote node?

SQL Setup on MyNode1 will NOT install workstation on MyNode2. Looks like failure if for database services.

Please send me complete log folder (after zipping it) to blakhani(at)koolmail(dot)in

Thanks.

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Anurag — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:32:53 GMT

Hi,

I am running SQL Setup on Node2 only. Another important thing is that after adding node2 to the cluster and restart of the virtual cluster nodes, the Cluster service did not get restarted on the nodes and I had to manually restart the cluster service on both nodes.

Also, I do not know how to copy the log files from the virtual nodes to the host for email purpose.

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

GAMAPE — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:54:04 GMT

Excellent !!!. I set up my own SQl cluster.. now I have a test Cluster environment cool..

Just a Question, I have some software on my local physical drive that I would to install on these virtual cluster. Any Idea how to do it?

again Thanks for what this article , it's great....

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:32:20 GMT

Hi GAMAPE,

Thanks for the comment.

Is the application/software is cluster aware? If that makes a service then you can add the service in cluster.

Right Click on the Group and add new resource of type "Service" and provide details.

Regards,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

GAMAPE — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:28:31 GMT

Thanks Balmukund

Can you help me with this : how can I link/access my physical hard drive from the virtual server/cluster?

regards

GamaPe

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Brian — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:21:24 GMT

Hey great post, Im installing as per your guide but finding the option to create a sql server failover cluster is grey and I can not select the check box.

Im using 2003 Ent with SP2 and all patches which I though was ok.

All previous steps outlined in your guide have been done and both nodes are online.

Any ideas why this is not working ?

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:01:45 GMT

Hi Brian,

Few reasons which I can think of may cause "create a SQL failover cluster" greyed out would be

1. Second option would be enabled only if you are checking first option "SQL Server Database Services"

2. Setup is thinking that you are installing on Standalone box. It could be because of cluster service not running. Please check that you are able to see both nodes up in cluster administrator.

3. Any warning in "System Configuration Check" screen?

4. Installing editions other than Enterprise, Enterprise EVAL, Developer and Standard?

If none of above help, please send me "c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG" folder after zipping it to my email id below.

blakhani(at)koolmail(dot)in

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:11:15 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

Its just been a day since I installed the virtual machines. But I have started getting messages that your evaluation period has expired...please activate.

Any idea?

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:41:22 GMT

Hi,

I am not sure if the clock starts after installation or download. I can't help here.

Regards,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

misra — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:24:43 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

Is this node configuration active/active or active/passive?

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:30:44 GMT

Hi Misra,

Its Active/Passive.

Please refer to comments by Suhas on below Blog for clarification about Active/Active and Active/Passive terms.

http://blogs.msdn.com/blakhani/archive/2008/06/09/sql-2005-cluster-setup-checklist.aspx

Regards,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

misra — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:08:48 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

When I move the gopus to MyNode1 it take a hell lot of time for the groups/resources to come online ... more than half an hour.

Another thing is afterI select SQL Cluster failover option and hit "Next" it says that cannot install on C"\pgram files\Microsoft SQL Server" because this is not a shared drive.

Can you help me out in the second point? shall i select some other drive?

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:17:09 GMT

To answer the second question, you would not be allowed to keep database files on C drive as its not shared. It has to be shared.

For first question,

1. Does it come online after 30 min?

2. Which resource takes most of the time?

Regads,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

misra — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:43:33 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

When I restarted the machines I could install w/o any problems.

I have another question to you - can I make one make a single machine as both a domain controller and a node for clustering.

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:58:40 GMT

Hi Misra,

Nice to hear that issue is resolved.

It is not recommended to install SQL on DC.

Moreover, you can't have one node in cluster to be a DC.

Regards,

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Misra — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:04:13 GMT

Hi Balmukund,

When I create the virtual machines (as specified in part 1) and start the machine I am not able to see the network in My Network of the VMs.

Please let me know what should I do to make the network connections visible in VMs.

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

blakhani — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:11:40 GMT

Hi Misra,

I hope you meant that you want to bring these machine to same network as host machine.

You have to do "Add Network Adapters" and select proper network.

Hope this helps.

Balmukund

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Misra — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:49:03 GMT

Balmukund,

Earlier I had created a backup of the VMs and when I used them I could not see any Network Connections in My Network of the VMs.

I then created a new VM and at the time of creation I chose connected to "Internal Network".

I then started up the machine, I couldnt see the network connection

I then did "Add network adapters", I cannot still see anything in Network connections when i logon to the machines.

Please guide me what could be wrong, is it some service or some configuration that I have missed. Because earlier when I did the setup, all went fine.

Thanks

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Misra — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:50:51 GMT

To add to the above comment, when I clcik on My Network Connections I can only see "New Connection Wizard"

re: How to create SQL Server 2005 Clustering with Virtual Server 2005 (Part 5)

Misra — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:41:19 GMT

I cannot see Network Adapters in MyComputer->Manage->DeviceManager

Even though I have added vitual network adapter in the VM configuration.

Also all of a sudden previously working setup also stopped working because there are no network adapters in th VM in logged state. But when I check the configuration in virtual server page I can see the network adapters configured.

Appreciate your help in this regard.