SQL2005 clustering DR site

[web4fun]

We are planning on implementing a SQL 2005 cluster (active/passive) and one request is to have the passive server at a DR site at a remote location....will distance pose a problem? i.e. we are in D.C. and the DR site is in Buffalo.

 

[ptheriault]

I'm not sure I understand what you are setting up. Are you installing MS cluster server or are you using SQL Server mirror?

- Paul

- If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

 

[mrdenny]

If you are setting up a Windows Cluster you have to have the servers in the same facility. They both need to be connected to the same SAN.

As Paul says I think we need more info about what you are planning on setting up.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[web4fun]

My apologies gentlemen for being so vague..I was in too much of a hurry.

Basically we currently have a SQL server that is critical (which most servers these days are critical) and we want to have a fault tolerant solution so that if the server crashes we can limit the amount of downtime to let's say about 15 - 30 minutes. So that's the immediate more pressing need.

The other need (as part of our DR plan) is to figure out a way to have a standby SQL server at our DR site available in the event of a disaster here which I thought could be accomplished with log shipping?

So, it's I guess two phases....I understand that Database Mirroring is an alternative to Clutstering however in the MS SQL DB course I just took, they state that Mirroring is not recommended nor supported for Production environments...this is why I'm looking for some guidance.

Thanks in advance for your comments/suggestions.

 

[mrdenny]

Database mirroring is supported for production use assuming that you have SQL 2005 SP1 installed.

I would recommend clustering for the local HA reqirment, and Mirroring for the DR.

Don't you love it when classes don't provide current information.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[ptheriault]

You may also want to look into a few products check out Xosoft or Double-Take.

- Paul

- If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

 

[web4fun]

Thanks mrdenny....yeah...the problem with a lot of classes is that the information is somewhat dated. A couple of last questions:

For the Clustering local HA scenario before moving to DB mirroring for DR:

1) We have a SQL 2000 server as well that contains two tables that we would need as well to be HA...so if we build the cluster with the two SQL 05 servers, how could we go about grabbing semi-real time data from the two tables from the SQL 2000 server? Not sure how this will work since the SQL 2000 server is on locally attached storage???? Again we only need two tables from a database on the SQL 2000 server. We are currently running SQL 2000 Advanced Edition on the 2000 box and running 2005 Standard Edition on the other servers which will be on a SAN but may need to rethink that for the DB Mirroring.

For the db mirroring for DR scenario:

1) I understand we'd need the Active and Passive servers and the witness server at minimum, so in this case I assume we'd need two active and one passive server nodes correct? Which I know would require SQL Enterprise edition as Standard only supports two nodes.

Thanks again and apologies for the additional questions as I'm new to clustering/HA/Mirroring and my class barely touched on these topics unfortunately....plus my boss is forcing me to have this environment running on VMWare which should REALLY be interesting!!!

 

[web4fun]

Thanks Paul..I will look into those products.