cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Can we use same node for two service groups of different applications

Zahid_Haseeb
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Environment

OS = win2008R2

SFHA = 6.0.1

Exchange = 2010

SQL = 2005

Diskgroups = two (one for Exchange and one for SQL)

 

I have Exchange2010 cluster configured and working fine. Its a two nodes cluster. I want to use the same nodes for SQL cluster. is that possible ?

If yes then I installed SQL Server on both nodes. Now I ran the service group wizard for SQL but the following error appears

1_1.png

 

SQL Services is also running. See below snaps also

2_2.png

 

7 REPLIES 7

Wally_Heim
Level 6
Employee

Hi Zahid,

Its good to hear from you again.

SQL and Exchange 2010 can be clustered now on the same nodes thanks to changes that we have done to the way that we cluster Exchange 2010 verses prior versions of Exchange.  Both Exchange and SQL are very resource intense applications and can cause performance issues with the other application when run on the same nodes, so it is not recommended without setting limits for both applications.

The SQL wizard is usually pretty accurate on the possible causes for the failure to detect the SQL instances on the nodes.  Can you run the following command on all servers where SQL is to run and provide the output from each server?

   hadiscover -discoverall SQLServer2005

 

Thank you,

Wally

 

mikebounds
Level 6
Partner Accredited

Hi Wally,

Are you saying in previous versions of Exchange, SQL or VCS, that a VCS node could not host both Exchange and SQL and if so, what prevented this - just the wizards, or was their some fundamental reason preventing Exchange and SQL running on the same node.  I thought the only limits were the applications - i.e if Microsoft don't support Exchange and SQL on the same node, then whether it is clustered with VCS, MSCS, or stand-alone makes no difference.

Mike

Wally_Heim
Level 6
Employee

Hi Mike,

With older versions of Exchange when we clustered them we changed the active computer name to virtualize Exchange.  Changing the active computer name can cause issues with the way that we virtualized SQL.  Basically, you could get into a situation where SQL thought that it was running on the virtual Exchange server instead of the virtual SQL server context.  This is why Symantec has always recommended that they not be clustered together. 

With Exchange 2010, we are just moving the Information stores from one Exchange server to another.  There is not really a virtualization of the Exchange server any more.  As a result the old way of clustering Exchange with VCS/SFW-HA will no longer interfer with other applications like SQL.

Thank you,

Wally

mikebounds
Level 6
Partner Accredited

Thanks wally - this makes perfect sense.

Mike

Zahid_Haseeb
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Thanks Wally :)

==================================

Node # 1 result

C:\>   hadiscover -discoverall SQLServer2005
<Discovery>
<Attr_Name>
AgentInstalled
</Attr_Name>
<Discover_value>
<Scalar_value>
6.0
</Scalar_value>
</Discover_value>
</Discovery>

<Discovery>
<Attr_Name>
Instance_MasterDBPath
</Attr_Name>
<Discover_value>
<Scalar_value>
MSSQLSERVER
</Scalar_value>
<Scalar_value>
S:\SQL-DATA\Microsoft SQL Server\
</Scalar_value>
</Discover_value>
</Discovery>

<Discovery>
<Attr_Name>
Instance_MasterDBLogPath
</Attr_Name>
<Discover_value>
<Scalar_value>
MSSQLSERVER
</Scalar_value>
<Scalar_value>
S:\SQL-DATA\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\master.mdf
</Scalar_value>
<Scalar_value>
S:\SQL-DATA\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\mastlog.ldf
</Scalar_value>
</Discover_value>
</Discovery>


C:\>
 

====================================

Node # 2 result

C:\>   hadiscover -discoverall SQLServer2005
<Discovery>
<Attr_Name>
AgentInstalled
</Attr_Name>
<Discover_value>
<Scalar_value>
6.0
</Scalar_value>
</Discover_value>
</Discovery>

<Discovery>
<Attr_Name>
Instance_MasterDBPath
</Attr_Name>
<Discover_value>
<Scalar_value>
MSSQLSERVER
</Scalar_value>
<Scalar_value>
S:\SQL-DATA\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\
</Scalar_value>
</Discover_value>
</Discovery>

<Discovery>
<Attr_Name>
Instance_MasterDBLogPath
</Attr_Name>
<Discover_value>
<Scalar_value>
MSSQLSERVER
</Scalar_value>
<Scalar_value>
S:\SQL-DATA\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\master.mdf
</Scalar_value>
<Scalar_value>
S:\SQL-DATA\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\mastlog.ldf
</Scalar_value>
</Discover_value>
</Discovery>


C:\>

Zahid_Haseeb
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Any update Wally please ?

Wally_Heim
Level 6
Employee

Hi Zahid,

Sorry for the delay in my response.

From the output it is clear that the 2 nodes are not installed the same.  While they both have the same instance name (MSSQLSERVER - default instance), they have different installation paths for their binaries and different paths to their master databases.

 

   Node 1 Binary path:  S:\SQL-DATA\Microsoft SQL Server\

   Node 2 Binary path:  S:\SQL-DATA\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\

 

   Node 1 master DB path: S:\SQL-DATA\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\master.mdf

   Node 2 master DB path: S:\SQL-DATA\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\master.mdf

 

The difference in the installation binary path is what is keeping the wizard from being able to configure the service group for you.  The installation binary path has to be the same path for the wizard to be able to cluster SQL. 

Symantec recommends that the SQL binaries be installed to local storage and the database path be put to shared storage.  In your case it appears that the binaries and the database path are going to shared storage.

I would recommend that you uninstall SQL from both nodes and reinstall it to the same installation path.  I usually keep the binaries on the default installation path on the c:\ drive and redirect the master DB path to the same shared storage path.  I know that the wizard for SQL 2008 and newer can correct the master DB paths not being the same but I still like to install them the same just to be sure.

Please let us know how it goes.  As always, if you need more interactive assistance with the installation process please open a Symantec Technical Support case.  We are available 24 x 7 x 365 to assist you with your SFW/SFW-HA issues.

 

Thank you,

Wally Heim