Applying windows updates on SQL cluster servers

  • Hi All,

    I am going to apply windows 2003 updates on a four node cluster SQL server.

    Each node is the active node for each clustered SQL instance.

    Is there any special instruction to be followed for this.

    Should the SQL server and other service should be taken offline while applying Windows updates?

    BR,

    Parthipan.S

  • Hi Parthipan,

    Since the purpose of a cluster is to provide high availability (especially for server maintenance task such as OS patching) you should consider moving an active instance to another node and then patching and rebooting the inactive node. Once the node has been patched and rebooted, you can then repeat the process until you have patched all four nodes in the cluster.

    I hope this helps,

    J. Jackson

  • Hi Jackson,

    Thank you...

    From your reply I believe the windows updates wont have much impact on cluster setup at the registry level.

    BR,

    Parthipan.S

  • Hi Parthipan,

    You are correct; there "shouldn't" be any issues with the registry after applying the updates.

    J. Jackson

  • I have had good success with patching the passive node with os updates, rolling the nodes etc. however mixed success patching sql itself. Can anyone tell me the best procedure for patching sql itself. We are running X64 Enterprise Win2k3 sql 2005 in a 2 node active/passive cluster.

  • Same experience here, regular updates are fine on passive, sql updates need to be applied to active node but fail

  • We have techique on how to do it, by patching first the active node then re-start and then the passive node and then re-start. So that when server will up it is stiil on active node. Actually, maybe there's something wrong on the active node. Please check the event viewer for some errors related to windows updates.

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