Adding Report Services to existing passive cluster node

  • I have a clustered SQL Server 2008 R2 setup.

    Node01 = runs an instance of Report Services pointing at a production report services database on the cluster.

    Node02 = isn't running a Report Services instance.

    The clustered server contains two primary application databases - Production and Staging

    The already installed RS instance on Node01 services the production database. I need to setup Reporting Services on Node02 so that it will service the Staging database.

    I began rolling through the setup on Node02 this morning but it failed validation saying that this instance was already clustered. I noted that early on in the setup program, it wanted me to choose the instance to install RS onto, but the pull down only listed the cluster name...not the particular Node name(s).

    What steps am I going to have to follow to install an RS instance on Node02 that ties to the Staging database? I found a couple of posts in the forum here describing similar but not quite the same circumstances.

    I'm new to working with clustered servers, so I'm a little confused about what things I can and can't do while the cluster is running. Can I simply "pause" the Node02 machine and then run the SETUP.exe program? Do I have bring the Node02 resource offline first?

    As always, any help any of you can toss my way will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    Larry

  • SSRS is not cluster aware (sigh). You will need to add a new feature and then create a new instance just for SSRS.

    Then you will have to configure SSRS for scale-out

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  • and you can do this whilst the cluster is running.

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  • Is SSRS is not cluster-aware, can it be made highly available?

  • Yes Dan, it can be made highly available by installing SSRS on both nodes and then pointing it at a database contained within the clustered drives.

    George - thanks for the answer. I tried running the SQL Server setup program, but it failed during the validation phase saying that it detected it was part of a failover cluster and stopped wanting me to select a different instance. What I noticed during the early installation steps was a window to select the host server name and then an instance name within it. I could not type in the Node02 machine name in this box, it already listed the cluster name there and wouldn't let me change it to specify just the Node02 name. (Note: Node01 already has SSRS running on it but is pointed at the production SSRS database.)

  • are you goiung through this process?

    new installation or add features to an existing installation

    setup support file installation

    Installation type - select 'new installation or add shared features'

    setup role - sql server feature installation

    Feature selection - select reporting services

    Instance configuration - select named instance and provide a name

    and continue from there

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  • Yeah George, I've been trying to get an SSRS instance tied into my Staging database.

    I jumped on a RDC session to my Node02 machine and ran the SQL Server setup program there.

    In the SETUP.exe program:

    Installation / New Installation or add features to an existing installation

    It installs some setup support files, then it prompts for an installation type. My choices are "New installation or Add shared features" or "Add features to an existing instance of SQL Server 2008 R2."

    When I select to "Add features to existing..." it displays a pull-down with the name of my cluster in it, not the individual node that I'm working on. It doesn't allow me to change it or to type in the name of the machine (Node02) by hand. I go with the instance name that is there, and choose Report Services. Next it prompts me for some Service account info. The next panel is Reporting Services configuration panel, and I choose "Install, but do not configure the report server."

    At this point, SETUP.exe rolls through some Installation configuration rules, and all pass except for one titled "Existing clustered or cluster-prepared instance" The error text states: "The instance selected for installation is already installed and clustered on computer NODE02. To continue, select a different instance to cluster."

    I think that what is hosing up the install is that I cannot specify the specific Node02 name...instead it shows the cluster name as the instance I'm trying to install into.

    I figure I'm going to have to take Node02 out of the cluster some-how to get RS installed on it. Not having ever done this before, I've got questions about how to do this. I see to have a couple of choices in Failover Cluster Manager interface: Pause the node, Evict the node, or I can stop the cluster service. (...or maybe there is another way?)

    Does this make it clearer? I'm not trying to implement high availability of reporting services. Node01 is already running an instance of RS tied to a production db...what I'm trying to do here is to install RS on Node02 and tie it to a Staging db.

  • Larry Kruse (4/24/2013)


    Yeah George, I've been trying to get an SSRS instance tied into my Staging database.

    When I select to "Add features to existing..." it displays a pull-down with the name of my cluster in it, not the individual node that I'm working on. It doesn't allow me to change it or to type in the name of the machine (Node02) by hand. I go with the instance name that is there, and choose Report Services.

    this is where you are going wrong - select 'new installation or add shared features' instead - this is because you need to create a new instance outside of the existing clustered instance.

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  • I was actually thinking about doing this same thing today with a SQL 2012 cluster but since it's active/passive, I didn't want to license both node by installing RS on both and configuring a scaled out implementation.

    I did stumble across this article which may help you with your situation.

    http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/2778/how-to-add-reporting-services-to-an-existing-sql-server-clustered-instance/[/url]

  • A million "thank you's" to you George!

    Selecting the correct installation option made the difference. Setup is rolling through it all now. I hadn't looked at it as a new instance installation...now that I consider it some more, it makes sense.

    Larry

  • A million? that should keep me going for a while. Glad that's sorted 🙂

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  • Larry Kruse (4/24/2013)


    I have a clustered SQL Server 2008 R2 setup.

    Node01 = runs an instance of Report Services pointing at a production report services database on the cluster.

    Node02 = isn't running a Report Services instance.

    The clustered server contains two primary application databases - Production and Staging

    The already installed RS instance on Node01 services the production database. I need to setup Reporting Services on Node02 so that it will service the Staging database.

    I began rolling through the setup on Node02 this morning but it failed validation saying that this instance was already clustered. I noted that early on in the setup program, it wanted me to choose the instance to install RS onto, but the pull down only listed the cluster name...not the particular Node name(s).

    What steps am I going to have to follow to install an RS instance on Node02 that ties to the Staging database? I found a couple of posts in the forum here describing similar but not quite the same circumstances.

    I'm new to working with clustered servers, so I'm a little confused about what things I can and can't do while the cluster is running. Can I simply "pause" the Node02 machine and then run the SETUP.exe program? Do I have bring the Node02 resource offline first?

    As always, any help any of you can toss my way will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    Larry

    Skipping the rules during setup will allow you to add ssrs instance to existing cluster instance install.

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    "Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

  • could you expand on that perry?

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  • george sibbald (4/27/2013)


    could you expand on that perry?

    You run setup with the skip validation rules parameter. Search google you'll find it.

    I generally wouldn't recommend it though as using skip rules may void ms support agreement.

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    "Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

  • thanks for clarifying, I thought thats what you meant. And that allows you to install RS as part of the default instance on the second node instead of in its own instance?

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