Best practices Password Change - SQL Failover cluster (3 or 4 node cluster)

  • What are the best practice steps to change password for 3 or 4 node (A/A/P or A/A/A/P) SQL failover cluster environments?

    I did few times in the following order,

    1. change password for are cluster services.

    2. In SQL Server Configuration Manager Change the Pwd for SQL services. Start from Active node.

    3. Change 1st Active instance and change its other passive nodes

    4. Once done on all nodes, failover the instances to another nodes and make the pwd get effected.

    5. Do the same for 2nd and 3rd Active instances.

    6. Restart the Cluster services one by one to make the pwd get effected.

    But still i've questions like ,

    Did i do the change in a right order?

    Still can we reduce the down time of the resource failure when you do pwd change in the passive nodes?

    Or I'm following an incorrect order of pwd change?

    Please update your feedback on this.

    Jay.

  • Please confirm that we're discussing AD domain login passwords for the service owners of the various SQL services. I assume so, but need confirmation before we can formulate suggestions for you.

    - Tim Ford, SQL Server MVPhttp://www.sqlcruise.comhttp://www.thesqlagentman.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyford

  • Yes, I'm talking about periodic Cluster and SQL Service Account pwd Change (Domain account).

  • Step 3 is not needed since Cluster Services replicates the change to the other nodes.

    RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."

  • Hit the wrong button ...

    Let me clarify - Step 3 is needed. However the second part about changing the passive nodes is not needed since cluster services should replicate the changes across the inactive nodes.

    RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."

  • Thanks Rudy.

    As per you, my understanding is below, pls correct if anything wrong.

    Which means after changing the SQL services pwd in Active node the new pwd will be replicated to other passive nodes (NO manual changes required on each passive nodes).

    Then if you failover to any of the other nodes it will failover without any issues?

    also as per you, whatever sql related services in the SQLcluster Group for an instance, those will be replicated to all other passive nodes by cluster services, am i right?

  • Here are the instructions that we use:

    Note – before you begin

    The following instructions are for changing service account password ONLY.

    These instructions work for Active/Passive clusters and n+1 clusters as well.

    If you need to change to a new service account, and hence a new password,

    You will have to use the following supplied programs:

    •SQL 2000 – Enterprise Manager

    •SQL 2005 - SQL Server Configuration Manager

    This is necessary since these applications perform a number of functions other than just changing the service account user account and password. This software also:

    •Grants the appropriate Local Policy Rights based on the service

    •Grants the needed file and directory security permissions

    •Grants the needed registry security permissions

    How to

    Use RDP to log into each physical node of the cluster.

    On one node of the cluster only:

    Open up the Cluster Administrator via the shortcut on the Desktop.

    If there is not a shortcut on the Desktop it can be found at:

    Start|Programs|Administrative Tools

    Or executed directly by:

    Start|Run and entering cluadmin.exe

    If the Cluster Administrator does not take you into a cluster immediately,

    Go to File|Open Connection

    Enter a period in the Open Connection to Cluster dialog box for

    the Cluster name or server name

    How to

    If this is an Active/Passive cluster:

    Navigate to the Groups folder in the Cluster Administrator

    Navigate to the SQL group and double click on it.

    (The right hand pane contains the SQL Server services in the cluster)

    Right click on SQL Server Fulltext and select Bring Offline

    Right click on SQL Server Agent and select Bring Offline

    Right click on SQL Server and select Bring Offline

    Note: For a named instance the SQL Services will look like:

    SQL Server Service Name (Instance Name)

    On each node of the cluster bring up the Services Management.

    Open up the services.msc via the shortcut on the Desktop.

    If there is not a shortcut on the Desktop it can be found by:

    Start|Programs|Administrative Tools

    Or from the Desktop

    Right click on My Computer and select Manage

    Double click on the left pane on:

    Computer Management (Local)|Services and Applications|Services

    Or executed directly by:

    Start|Run and entering services.msc

    Tip: Double click on the Log On As column in the right pane and the SQL Server Service Account should ‘float’ up to the top of the list (or very near to it).

    For the Active Node of the cluster:

    For each SQL Server service account password to change:

    Select the SQL Server service to be changed

    Right click and select Properties

    Select the Log On tab

    Modify the password of the selected SQL Server service

    For the Passive Node of the cluster:

    For each SQL Server service account password to change:

    Select the SQL Server service to be changed

    Right click and select Properties

    Select the Log On tab

    Modify the password of the selected SQL Server service

    Note: Do Not restart the service(s).

    Go back to the Cluster Administrator

    (The right hand pane contains the SQL Server services in the cluster)

    Right click on SQL Server Fulltext and select Bring Online

    Right click on SQL Server Agent and select Bring Online

    Right click on SQL Server and select Bring Online

    If this is an n+1 cluster:

    Navigate to the Groups folder in the Cluster Administrator

    Navigate to the SQL group and double click on it.

    (The right hand pane contains the SQL Server services in the cluster)

    For each named instance:

    Right click on SQL Server Fulltext (Instance name )and select Bring Offline

    Right click on SQL Server Agent (Instance name) and select Bring Offline

    Right click on SQL Server (Instance name) and select Bring Offline

    On each node of the cluster bring up the Services Management.

    Open up the services.msc via the shortcut on the Desktop.

    If there is not a shortcut on the Desktop it can be found by:

    Start|Programs|Administrative Tools

    Or from the Desktop

    Right click on My Computer and select Manage

    Double click on the left pane on:

    Computer Management (Local)|Services and Applications|Services

    Or executed directly by:

    Start|Run and entering services.msc

    Tip: Double click on the Log On As column in the right pane and the SQL Server Service Account should ‘float’ up to the top of the list (or very near to it).

    For each Node of the cluster:

    For each named instance:

    For each SQL Server service account password to change:

    Select the SQL Server service (Instance name) to be changed

    Right click and select Properties

    Select the Log On tab

    Modify the password of the selected SQL Server service

    Note: Do Not restart the service(s).

    Go back to the Cluster Administrator

    For each named instance:

    Right click on SQL Server Fulltext (Instance name) and select Bring Online

    Right click on SQL Server Agent (Instance name) and select Bring Online

    Right click on SQL Server (Instance name) and select Bring Online

    RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."

  • Thanks for your useful tips.

  • anyone know how to change sql 2005 server service password on an active/active cluster via script?

    I hate having to click my way thru changing passwords for 50+ servers.

    thx

    -----------------------------
    www.cbtr.net
    .: SQL Backup Admin Tool[/url] :.

  • Welcome to my world ... we have enterprise level products that do software patching and password changes for service accounts and the like. They work sell for OS based things most of the time. They seem to work fine for non-clustered SQL servers as well. However they have issues with active/passive clusters and with N+1 clusters when is comes to SQL Server.

    RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."

  • Want to change sql server password, try using command prompt.

    Osql –S yourservername –E

    1> EXEC sp_password NULL, 'yourpassword', 'sa'

    2> GO

    It helps.

  • Hi,

    1. Reset password using configuration manager on active node

    2. Change the password on Passive nodes using services window.

    3. do failover and failback.

    Dinesh

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