September 15, 2015 at 7:43 pm
We are planning to implement a sharepoint 2013 farm. What version of solitaire server recommended, Sql server 2012 or 2014?
We plan to have two web servers for load balancing, one office web application server, then Sql server. But for Sql server, if for high availability, do we need Enterprise edition of high availability? Also do we need clusters ?
Any good instructions of how to do it appreciated too
Thanks
September 15, 2015 at 8:56 pm
We are planning to implement a sharepoint 2013 farm. What version of solitaire server recommended, Sql server 2012 or 2014?
Depends on what kind of features you want to use. The following article can help.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/bb500435(v=sql.120).aspx
We plan to have two web servers for load balancing, one office web application server, then Sql server. But for Sql server, if for high availability, do we need Enterprise edition of high availability? Also do we need clusters ?
If you mean failover clustering as high availability, then you don't need enterprise edition for 2 node cluster. Requirement for cluster, depends how much of downtime you can afford for maintenance operations and reaction time for handling "some" disasters.
some links which may be of help.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/B/D/5BD13FFA-5E34-4AE1-9AA0-C6E6951B8FC8/SQL%20Server%202008%20R2%20High%20Availability%20Architecture%20White%20Paper.docx - SQL Server 2008 High Availability white paper. most of the stuff still holds good.
Please note that SQL Server does have other HA solution "Always on Availablity Groups" which is a purely enterprise solution. Couple of useful links on always on.
http://sqlha.com/2012/04/13/allans-alwayson-availability-groups-faq/
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj191711.aspx
Any good instructions of how to do it appreciated too
Please decide on the items above. Then we can help you better.
Regards,
Raj
September 15, 2015 at 10:13 pm
See below
September 15, 2015 at 10:21 pm
Thanks , I will ook into these documents.
One more question while I am reading how to create availability group, there is a need to create a listener, if we have two nodes cluster, does that mean we need a third server for listener, or not. we don' t have so many servers for use.
Also does the two Sql instances have to install like : install one cluster instance first, then add a node , or we can do two standalone install, each on one of the two nodes, without using the add node install wizard through the install media?
We at most has two vm servers for SQL server backend
September 16, 2015 at 7:10 am
Typing in a hurry at work.
You don't need to install the instances the way you would for a FCI- you can just use standalone instances (unless you are doing a complicated setup that combines an FCI with an Availability Group- but you don't HAVE to do that). You do need to make sure that the servers are part of a Windows Server Failover Cluster before you start the SQL installs, though, or the installs will fail. Also, all of the drive letters need to be the same on both servers.
It's not obligatory to use a listener device (unless Sharepoint specifically requires it), and no, you don't need a separate server for that. It's actually an object in Active Directory, and you can configure it on your SQL instances once you've set them up.
One more thing- since you will be setting up a two node cluster, you should probably think about using a witness as well so that if one of the nodes fails (or if you have network trouble), your cluster can maintain quorum. Take a look at Perry Whittle's guides here: http://qa.sqlservercentral.com/stairway/112556/
September 16, 2015 at 7:24 am
ANn -425914 (9/15/2015)
One more question while I am reading how to create availability group, there is a need to create a listener, if we have two nodes cluster, does that mean we need a third server for listener, or not. we don' t have so many servers for use.
Firstly, you don't need to create a listener it's optional. If you plan to use readable secondarys and direct read only queries to these secondarys then you'll need a listener and the correct read only routing setup scripts.
ANn -425914 (9/15/2015)
Also does the two Sql instances have to install like : install one cluster instance first, then add a node , or we can do two standalone install, each on one of the two nodes, without using the add node install wizard through the install media?We at most has two vm servers for SQL server backend
If you only have a 2 node cluster and you're using Failover Cluster Instances of sql server you won't be able to use an AlwaysOn availability group.
I would strongly recommend that you read my stairway to HA series on this site, Beatrix Kiddo has provided a link for you
For the sharepoint system, I would use a Failover Cluster Instance of SQL Server and a very solid database backup regime
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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉
September 16, 2015 at 11:06 am
If you only have a 2 node cluster and you're using Failover Cluster Instances of sql server you won't be able to use an AlwaysOn availability group
Can you explain why, so in order to use alwayson group it has to be at least 3 nodes in a cluster?
I would strongly recommend that you read my stairway to HA series on this site, Beatrix Kiddo has provided a link for you.[/Quote]
I will read it
For the sharepoint system, I would use a Failover Cluster Instance of SQL Server and a very solid database backup regime .[/Quote]
Thanks, does that mean a two nodes cluster but no need for availability group, we don't need to read from second copy, just for disaster recovery purpose.
September 16, 2015 at 12:12 pm
Any step by step instruction recommended?
Thanks
September 16, 2015 at 12:45 pm
I also see in article:
The AlwaysOn Availability Group requires one or more secondary replicas to host a copy of the highly available database(s).
So two nodes OK?
Thanks,
September 17, 2015 at 2:29 am
Two nodes are fine if you're using AlwaysOn Availiability Groups. What Perry said is that you can't combine AOAGs with a FCI with only two nodes- pick one or the other, basically.
Step by step instructions are right there in Perry's stairway.
September 17, 2015 at 7:06 am
ANn -425914 (9/16/2015)
Can you explain why, so in order to use alwayson group it has to be at least 3 nodes in a cluster?
An AlwaysOn availability group configuration requires at least 2 nodes in the cluster. Start adding FCIs into the group configuration and the required node count will rise depending on how you configure the FCIs within the WSFC.
It's all detailed in my stairway series 😉
Thanks, does that mean a two nodes cluster but no need for availability group, we don't need to read from second copy, just for disaster recovery purpose.
A 2 node cluster will be fine for a failover cluster instance of sql server and will provide resilience at the instance level, no need for an AO group
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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉
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