Re: Stand-alone to Cluster upgrade

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Date: Sat, 03 Jul 2004 20:29:54 GMT

For installing Microsoft cluster and SQL Failove Cluster, you need to make sure that hardware you are using is a Certified Cluster Solution.

A certified cluster does not consist simply of parts that individually reside on the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).
For example, suppose Server model S, HBA model H, storage frame F, and fibre switch W are all certified with Microsoft. This does not mean that a cluster built with S+H+F+W is supported - and customers
requiring support should not simply build a solution with these components.

Non-certified cluster solutions are not guaranteed to operate correctly. The shared disks may be visible to multiple nodes and this can lead to corruption of application data or instability where the connection to
the disks is not reliable. You can waste a lot of time by attempting to troubleshoot perceived server cluster issues that are being caused by the cluster hardware that you are using.

Microsoft maintains two lists of certified Cluster solutions submitted by OEM's and integrators: a legacy HCL list for NT4/2000, and the Windows Server Catalog for Clusters. The Windows Server Catalog for
Clusters contains solutions for both Windows 2000 and Windows 2003, so should be consulted first when looking for recently certified solutions.

How to locate qualified cluster solutions for Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=828262

Window Server Catalog for Cluster (contains Windows 2003 and Windows 2000 solutions as well, so consult this first when looking for configurations):
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/catalog/server/default.aspx?xslt=categoryproduct&subid=22&pgn=8b712458-b91c-4a7d-8695-23e9cd3ae95b

(Legacy) Cluster HCL for NT4 and Windows 2000 Clusters:
http://www.microsoft.com/hcl

Buy a cluster solution from your vendor that is validated on the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) or Windows Server Catalog (WSC). Make sure they are approved for the operating system: Windows 2000
Advanced Server, Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, Windows 2003 Enterprise Edition. Make sure that you make a complete cluster solution, instead of buying it from a component list.

NOTE: If the cluster solution is not listed on the HCL or WSC in the Cluster category, the cluster solution is considered UNSUPPORTED. However, Microsoft PSS will offer troubleshooting tips if the customer
requests them. PSS does NOT guarantee that a resolution will be found for non-HCL or non-WSC Clusters. If no resolution is found, the incident is not refunded.

If more than one cluster (either multiple clusters or a single cluster and other non-clustered servers running either Windows or any other operating system) is using storage on a single controller, then the storage
controller must be multi-cluster device qualified and appear on
- the Cluster/Multi-cluster device category on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)
- Storage, RAID Storage, Multi-Cluster category on the Windows Server Catalog
For more details see:
 Q304415: Support for Multiple Clusters Attached to the Same SAN Device
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=304415

Once you have a certified cluster solution, install MSCS, install the latest windows service packs, install SQL Server 2000 Failover Clustering. For the user databases, either attach/detach or use backup/restore
methods.

Best Regards,

Uttam Parui
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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