Veritas Cluster installation sequencing

That make sense :) I forgot to mention, about the application.

So after the SQL been installed, will it be logical to install the application (proprietary app) then at the last to create the ClusterService Group and SQLServiceGroup? Or may be I'm confuse..

Hi Amcasperforu,

The ClusterService group is only needed if you are going to setup VCS notfication or GCO clusters.  You have not mentioned needing either one of these so I'm not sure that you need to setup the ClusterService group.

As for your custom SQL applicatoin, yes install it after SQL is installed and make sure to set any services related to it to manual startup and stop them.  Repeat the same on the second node as you mentioned in step six and don't forget to set the services to manual and stop them on that node too.

On the node where the diskgroup is available, run the SQL service group configuration wizard to create the SQL service group. 

When done you might need to add GenericService or Process resources as needed to control the services/scripts needed for your custom application on top of SQL.  Link these new items above the SQLServer2005 resources so that they start after SQL is started on the node.

Test failover and that your application is working as expected.

Thanks,

Wlaly

It doesn't really matter when you install your application.  Personally I would install it after creating and testing SQL service group - that what you know that SQL part is working fine.  Also if your App requires SQL or shared storage, if you install your app after creating SQL SG, you can use VCS to move storage and SQL to other node so you can install app on the other node, rather than having to manually, deport/import assign drive letters etc.

Mike

Hi Mike, when you say "you can use VCS to move storage and SQL to other node so you can install app on the other node" the move there means failover to other node?

From what I remember in Microsoft Cluster, that's possible moving the disk group to other node without remounting and assigning again disk letter. Thanks.

Is it fair to say that VCS notification covers when a service of Veritas Cluster fails, that's a notification I get and if I want that kind of notificaiton, I should install ClusterService group, am I right?

This means, node1 and node2 already have SQL 2005 installed. Then if I will install the app on node 1, I have to put the startup of all SQL related services to manual and stop it is this correct? Or should the services of SQL remain on start state since at some point during the app installation it will check on Sql db? not sure about that but Im just thinking aloud...

Thanks Wally.

Yes to "move" means failover or I guess correct VCS terminolgy is to switch.  You can control what VCS does, so if you switch SG from one node to another, it will put resources in same state on the other node, so if diskgroup is imported and drive is assigned on node 1, but SQL is not started and you switch group to node2 then VCS will import diskgroup and assign drive letter on node 2 and not start SQL.  To manually control: then rather than switch , offline group on one node and then online the individual resources you want online on the other node - if you online MountV resource (drive letter) for example then VCS will first online dependent resoucres first, like diskgroup and then online MountV resource (assign driver letter or folder mount).

Mike

If you want VCS to send SNMP traps or SMTP mail, for events such as as a service group fault then you need to configure Notifier resource in ClusterService group, alternatively many customers use 3rd party tools to scrape the VCS logs or Application log.

With SQL under VCS control, SQL services should always be set to manual.  If your application requires SQL to be started when you install it, then I would start SQL resource in VCS, before you install your app, then switch SG to 2nd node and re-install your app.

Note if your app creates a database and tables during the install, then this may screw up if you try this against the same database from both nodes, so you could install your app after installing SQL on first node as this database is then deleted when you install on node 2, or move database out of the way so that you have 2 copies of a database that you can install App against.

I aways move database out of the way, rather than deleting when installing SQL on 2nd node as this makes it easier to patch SQL.  Then when you install an SQL patch you can install on node 1 against real database which applies patch to binaries and real database and then on node 2 you install patch against blank database you moved out of the way during install so patch upgrades binaries and blank database on node2.   I used to do this years ago, but there may be better ways to do this now - I'm sure Wally will comment on this if there is.

Mike

This means, VCS will do the assigning and mounting of disk drives and no manual reassigning disk letter and folder mount after a failover is this correct? Bec on MS CS is this true. Thanks Mike!

Yes, VCS does all this.

Mike