Pre Check List for 64 BIT SQL Server 2008 Cluster Installation

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Pre Check List for 64 BIT SQL Server 2008 Cluster Installation

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Rudy Panigas

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 12:35 AM

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Comments posted to this topic are about the item Pre Check List for 64 BIT SQL Server 2008 Cluster Installation

Post #840693

Harold Buckner

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 6:34 AM

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Just a quick question on your comment

"This virtual NIC is not liked by the SQL Server installation, which will complain and fail. You will need to "unteam" the NICs via the HP software and then you can disable or assign another IP address to them."

I keep reading about this issue over and over on the blogs but have been running virtual nics for years with my cluster. What sort of problems does SQL Server have with this setup so that I can watch out for it or not use when we rebuild our next one?

Thanks
Harold

Post #840801

Rudy Panigas

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 6:46 AM

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Hello,

Good question and I too had asked that during my first install. Basically it comes down to NIC(s) that are not used. If there is a NIC installed (virtual or physical) and it is not used (configured and in use) then the installation will have a problem.

It appears that the Windows 2008 does not understand why you would have a NIC(s) that is installed but not in use.

Finally, if you are using a "teamed" configuration (a second NIC to handle a failure of the first NIC) then you are recommended to "unteam" then. Once your install is completed you can "re team" them.

Hope this helps,

Rudy

Post #840806

Curtis Smith

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 7:15 AM

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Another issue that is somewhat related to this is installing on Server 2008 R2, which requires the installation to be slipstreamed. Its best to check before running the installation. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/955725

Curtis Smith
SQL Server DBA
Well in worked in Theory ...

Post #840816

S. Kusen

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 9:31 AM

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We have teamed NIC's on just about all of our clusters where I work, and I personally haven't experienced any problems leaving them teamed for the SQL install. I've only done one Server 2008 R2 cluster install, but had no issues with the install, and connectivity is fine. The one issue we did find was a DNS message, but that was coming up because we manage our DNS system with QIP, and there is a fix from MS posted to prevent that message from appearing. Unfortunately, I can't locate the article... and I forget the exact message, but it was unrelated to having the NIC's teamed.

Great article though!!

Regards,
Steve

Post #840879

Rudy Panigas

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 9:35 AM

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Thanks for the additional info. Looks like SQL 2008R2 has fixed this issue but it does exist with SQL 2008. I have not installed SQL 2008 R2 as that's for another article.

Thanks again,

Rudy

Post #840883

SQLRNNR

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 9:54 AM

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Nice article

Jason AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
I have given a name to my pain...
MCM SQL Server 2008

SQL RNNR

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Post #840898

Harold Buckner

Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 10:15 AM

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Thanks for all the great info and the replys.

Post #840910

EdVassie

Posted Monday, January 04, 2010 3:15 AM

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I think this is a very helpful article. There is one aspect that many people take for granted, but I think should get challenged more, even if the challenge can be contentious...

I have seen advice from some tuning experts that turning off paging on a 64-bit machine can be best for performance. This is achieved by specifying a custom page file size of zero MB.

If you do this you will not get a system dump if Windows fails. Therefore you need to balance the risk of this with the inconvenience of making a page file available if you have a failure that needs a memory dump.

The advice from NT4 days that the page file shold be 1.5 time the size of physical memory is now obsolete. The 1.5 ratio is only needed if you want to dump all memory on the box. If you have a 128GB box, then Microsoft will never need a 192 GB dump to disgnose the problem you have, so why set your page file to 192 GB? If you do decide to have a 192 GB page file, you also need to work out how you will get a 192 GB dump to Microsoft.

IMHO that optimum size page file for a 64-bit box is zero MB, and the maximum size is the whatever is needed for a snap dump (400MB for W2008 R2).

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Post #841353

tomko

Posted Monday, January 04, 2010 10:12 AM

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Good article, as it addresses many issues with a WIn2008 and SQL2008 cluster on the install.

But no antivirus? You need to tune the antivirus correctly for a SQL system but to recommend no AV makes no sense at all. Are you going to scan your system every day? With no AV, you better be scanning it.

Post #841584

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