Database upgrade and migration to 2016 SQL Server

  • I am looking for pointers on what option to take for high availability for a new SQL Server 2016 environment. I  initially considered deploying always-on availability group for high availability however, I learned that the servers for the new environment do not have windows failover cluster installed on them which is a requirement for installing the always-on feature...I'd like to know what kind of high availability option would be ideal for my new environment that doesn't require installation of failover cluster feature?  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

  • EMtwo - Monday, October 29, 2018 6:06 PM

    I am looking for pointers on what option to take for high availability for a new SQL Server 2016 environment. I  initially considered deploying always-on availability group for high availability however, I learned that the servers for the new environment do not have windows failover cluster installed on them which is a requirement for installing the always-on feature...I'd like to know what kind of high availability option would be ideal for my new environment that doesn't require installation of failover cluster feature?  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

    The AG is good and it is for a group of database and latest technology.
    There are options like, clustering again it needs a windows fail-over cluster, mirroring deprecated tech, Logshipping etc. 
    https://www.sqlserverblogforum.com/sql-party/sql-server-disaster-recovery-plan/

    Muthukkumaran Kaliyamoorthy
    https://www.sqlserverblogforum.com/

  • Thank you.

  • When configuring multiple servers using mirroring for high-availability, can I use only one witness for all of them? Let say I have three sets of servers mirroring - can I use one witness server for all of them or do I need to configure three witness server for all three sets?

  • EMtwo - Thursday, November 15, 2018 10:19 AM

    When configuring multiple servers using mirroring for high-availability, can I use only one witness for all of them? Let say I have three sets of servers mirroring - can I use one witness server for all of them or do I need to configure three witness server for all three sets?

    You can use one witness.

  • sindhursai - Wednesday, November 21, 2018 12:15 AM

    EMtwo - Thursday, November 15, 2018 10:19 AM

    When configuring multiple servers using mirroring for high-availability, can I use only one witness for all of them? Let say I have three sets of servers mirroring - can I use one witness server for all of them or do I need to configure three witness server for all three sets?

    You can use one witness.

    Thank you.

  • EMtwo - Monday, October 29, 2018 6:06 PM

    I am looking for pointers on what option to take for high availability for a new SQL Server 2016 environment. I  initially considered deploying always-on availability group for high availability however, I learned that the servers for the new environment do not have windows failover cluster installed on them which is a requirement for installing the always-on feature...I'd like to know what kind of high availability option would be ideal for my new environment that doesn't require installation of failover cluster feature?  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

    Curious as to why implementing a cluster is a show stopper?

    Michael L John
    If you assassinate a DBA, would you pull a trigger?
    To properly post on a forum:
    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/61537/

  • Michael L John - Wednesday, November 21, 2018 8:56 AM

    EMtwo - Monday, October 29, 2018 6:06 PM

    I am looking for pointers on what option to take for high availability for a new SQL Server 2016 environment. I  initially considered deploying always-on availability group for high availability however, I learned that the servers for the new environment do not have windows failover cluster installed on them which is a requirement for installing the always-on feature...I'd like to know what kind of high availability option would be ideal for my new environment that doesn't require installation of failover cluster feature?  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

    Curious as to why implementing a cluster is a show stopper?

    Would have been the ideal option, however, the current servers do not have windows failover cluster installed on them. Why?  While I'm not sure about the entire story as to why things are this way -  there was mention that apparently, the people who set up these servers were not knowledgeable enough about windows failover cluster - nonetheless, databases have to be migrated to a more stable environment - best option at this point is mirroring.  Both Always on availability group and SQL Server cluster options require the Windows failover cluster feature.

  • EMtwo - Wednesday, November 21, 2018 12:42 PM

    Michael L John - Wednesday, November 21, 2018 8:56 AM

    EMtwo - Monday, October 29, 2018 6:06 PM

    I am looking for pointers on what option to take for high availability for a new SQL Server 2016 environment. I  initially considered deploying always-on availability group for high availability however, I learned that the servers for the new environment do not have windows failover cluster installed on them which is a requirement for installing the always-on feature...I'd like to know what kind of high availability option would be ideal for my new environment that doesn't require installation of failover cluster feature?  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

    Curious as to why implementing a cluster is a show stopper?

    Would have been the ideal option, however, the current servers do not have windows failover cluster installed on them. Why?  While I'm not sure about the entire story as to why things are this way -  there was mention that apparently, the people who set up these servers were not knowledgeable enough about windows failover cluster - nonetheless, databases have to be migrated to a more stable environment - best option at this point is mirroring.  Both Always on availability group and SQL Server cluster options require the Windows failover cluster feature.

    I'm thinking that you're really going to hate yourself in the future.  I'd take the time to install windows failover cluster or find someone that knew how.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • I’m with Jeff. Figure it out. There is an excellent Stairway Series on this site.

    Michael L John
    If you assassinate a DBA, would you pull a trigger?
    To properly post on a forum:
    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/61537/

  • Thank you all for your feedback.

  • EMtwo - Wednesday, November 21, 2018 5:13 PM

    Thank you all for your feedback.

    You should also be aware that Microsoft has deprecated mirroring - its replacement is AlwaysOn Availability Groups...so you really should work on setting up the windows failover cluster.

    One advantage to doing this is that you can add this after installing and configuring SQL Server on each node since SQL Server is not actually installed in the cluster, only the availability group will be 'created' in the cluster and it will be fully managed by SQL Server - not cluster services.

    I think the biggest issue with this type of configuration is making sure your VLAN is setup correctly with multiple paths between servers to support the public and private networks.  If you choose to utilize a disk witness - then you would need shared storage.  However - that isn't needed because you can use a file share witness or a node majority without having to setup shared storage for the cluster.

    Jeffrey Williams
    “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”

    ― Charles R. Swindoll

    How to post questions to get better answers faster
    Managing Transaction Logs

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