Changing authentication mode in a cluster

  • Hi all -

    I have a few Cluster/authentication questions i hope someone can cover....

    I have a SQL 2008r2 cluster. I need to switch the authentication from Windows to Windows/SQL.

    1. When I change the authentication mode, i know it will not take effect until the services are restarted. Will the change "force" a restart?

    2. I understand I have to use Configuration Manager, Surface Area Configuration, or the Cluster Admin to restart the services safely, and NOT the Management Studio. If the SSMS forces a reboot/restart, what are the correct steps in getting the authentication mode changes and "safely" restarting the services?

    Thanks

    Dan

  • it will not force a restart.

    with a cluster you have to use the failover cluster manager to restart SQL.

    Right click on the SQL server resource and choose 'offline the resource'. Once it has stopped repeat but choose 'online resource' Do the online for SQL server and SQLserver agent

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  • Cluster Admin and Configuration Manager both work for starting and stopping services, and as far as I know you can use SSMS as well. It's the Services applet that you shouldn't use, since this doesn't take account of cluster resource ownership.

    John

  • Thanks guys..... so, it's as simple as restarting the SQL Resource within the Cluster admin? No underlying cluster processes have to be paused to avoid a possible failover?

  • That's right. (This is from memory.) If you use Take Offline to stop the service, the cluster knows you did it deliberately and so doesn't fail over. There's a separate option, which I think is called Initiate Failover, that you can use if you want to move the resource to another node.

    John

  • as john said. Offline just stops the resource (and dependant resources).

    Failing over is a different option (move resource).

    Failing over would also cause a restart of SQL and start up the new authentication setting, but I am guessing you would prefer just to bounce SQL

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  • Yes. My goal is just to get the authentication to match on both nodes. Will it propagate to the other? Or will I have to do this for both nodes?

  • Its a change at the SQL level, which is a 'virtual' instance sitting on both nodes, so yes it will be in effect whichever node is the active node

    edit: by which I mean you only have to do it the once

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  • I thought there was a change to the registry?

  • yes, it is a change to the registry. The cluster service should replicate the key change to all nodes required

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply