4 Node cluster

Sounds good.

Now we have virtual instance running on each of the 4 nodes. With one copy
of MSDTC resource running any concerns with it servicing diferent SQL
versions?Can you provide sone insight on how SQL binaries are placed in A/A?
If an application is not cluster aware can we have default (single) instance
on a cluster node? and if so, any conflict with already installed binaries?

MK

"Geoff N. Hiten" wrote:

> Yes. This can be done.
>
> SQL 2000 will live on Win2003 x64.
>
> SQL 2005 and SQL 2000 can live in a mixed cluster.
>
> Here is the official word on mixed-mode cluster support for both 32-64 bit
> and SQL 2000-SQL 2005 combinations.
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327518/en-us
>
> --
> Geoff N. Hiten
> Senior SQL Infrastructure Consultant
> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
>
>
>
>
> "MK" wrote in message
>
> > We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
> > consolidate.
> >
> > On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2 nodes -
> > SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A vuirtual
> > server?
> >
> > All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC will
> > be
> > in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
> >
> > Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

Wouldnt that just be 2 x 2 node clusters?

why would you want to make it one big cluster?


"MK" wrote in message

> We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
> consolidate.
>
> On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2 nodes -
> SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A vuirtual
> server?
>
> All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC will
> be
> in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
>
> Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

I want to setup A/A SQL 2k and 2k5 virtual servers on a 4 node OS cluster.
Don't know if they can coexist on same nodes.

"Justin Rich" wrote:

> Wouldnt that just be 2 x 2 node clusters?
>
> why would you want to make it one big cluster?
>
>
> "MK" wrote in message
>
> > We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
> > consolidate.
> >
> > On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2 nodes -
> > SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A vuirtual
> > server?
> >
> > All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC will
> > be
> > in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
> >
> > Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

Rich to you other question on why we want one big cluster? We have tones of
single instance enviornments so by staging a HA schalable env the vision is
it move them all onto these virtual servers.

"MK" wrote:

> I want to setup A/A SQL 2k and 2k5 virtual servers on a 4 node OS cluster.
> Don't know if they can coexist on same nodes.
>
> "Justin Rich" wrote:
>
> > Wouldnt that just be 2 x 2 node clusters?
> >
> > why would you want to make it one big cluster?
> >
> >
> > "MK" wrote in message
> >
> > > We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
> > > consolidate.
> > >
> > > On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2 nodes -
> > > SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A vuirtual
> > > server?
> > >
> > > All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC will
> > > be
> > > in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
> > >
> > > Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
> >
> >
> >
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

Binaries are local on each node and separate for each instance. The
installer takes care of writing binaries to each node during install or
reinstall. Service Packs are part-cluster aware and part unaware, depending
on whether the components they are updating install local or cluster-wide.
For Example, SQL Engine updates are cluster-wide, SQL 2005 client tools are
local node only.

If MSDCT throughput is a concern, make it a separate instance on isolated
disks and put it on the least-used node.

Be very careful on your failover order.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Senior SQL Infrastructure Consultant
Microsoft SQL Server MVP




"MK" wrote in message

> Sounds good.
>
> Now we have virtual instance running on each of the 4 nodes. With one copy
> of MSDTC resource running any concerns with it servicing diferent SQL
> versions?Can you provide sone insight on how SQL binaries are placed in
> A/A?
> If an application is not cluster aware can we have default (single)
> instance
> on a cluster node? and if so, any conflict with already installed
> binaries?
>
> MK
>
> "Geoff N. Hiten" wrote:
>
>> Yes. This can be done.
>>
>> SQL 2000 will live on Win2003 x64.
>>
>> SQL 2005 and SQL 2000 can live in a mixed cluster.
>>
>> Here is the official word on mixed-mode cluster support for both 32-64
>> bit
>> and SQL 2000-SQL 2005 combinations.
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327518/en-us
>>
>> --
>> Geoff N. Hiten
>> Senior SQL Infrastructure Consultant
>> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "MK" wrote in message
>>
>> > We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
>> > consolidate.
>> >
>> > On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2
>> > nodes -
>> > SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A
>> > vuirtual
>> > server?
>> >
>> > All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC
>> > will
>> > be
>> > in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
>> >
>> > Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
>>
>>
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

you could still do that with a 2x2 all that it would mean is that you'd lose
that possibility to cluster a vserver across 4 nodes. You do introduces more
risk on a 4 node too, in that if your quorum corrupts all 4 nodes will die.
On a 2x2 obviously only 2 nodes will die. However that said I've built 4
node 64 bit with no problems to date.
Regards,

Mark.


"MK" wrote in message

> Rich to you other question on why we want one big cluster? We have tones
> of
> single instance enviornments so by staging a HA schalable env the vision
> is
> it move them all onto these virtual servers.
>
> "MK" wrote:
>
>> I want to setup A/A SQL 2k and 2k5 virtual servers on a 4 node OS
>> cluster.
>> Don't know if they can coexist on same nodes.
>>
>> "Justin Rich" wrote:
>>
>> > Wouldnt that just be 2 x 2 node clusters?
>> >
>> > why would you want to make it one big cluster?
>> >
>> >
>> > "MK" wrote in message
>> >
>> > > We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
>> > > consolidate.
>> > >
>> > > On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2
>> > > nodes -
>> > > SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A
>> > > vuirtual
>> > > server?
>> > >
>> > > All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC
>> > > will
>> > > be
>> > > in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
>> > >
>> > > Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
>> >
>> >
>> >
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

To mitigate the risk instead of 4 node cluster we can go with two 2 node
clusters.

Thanks for all good insight.

"Mark B" wrote:

> you could still do that with a 2x2 all that it would mean is that you'd lose
> that possibility to cluster a vserver across 4 nodes. You do introduces more
> risk on a 4 node too, in that if your quorum corrupts all 4 nodes will die.
> On a 2x2 obviously only 2 nodes will die. However that said I've built 4
> node 64 bit with no problems to date.
> Regards,
>
> Mark.
>
>
> "MK" wrote in message
>
> > Rich to you other question on why we want one big cluster? We have tones
> > of
> > single instance enviornments so by staging a HA schalable env the vision
> > is
> > it move them all onto these virtual servers.
> >
> > "MK" wrote:
> >
> >> I want to setup A/A SQL 2k and 2k5 virtual servers on a 4 node OS
> >> cluster.
> >> Don't know if they can coexist on same nodes.
> >>
> >> "Justin Rich" wrote:
> >>
> >> > Wouldnt that just be 2 x 2 node clusters?
> >> >
> >> > why would you want to make it one big cluster?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "MK" wrote in message
> >> >
> >> > > We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
> >> > > consolidate.
> >> > >
> >> > > On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2
> >> > > nodes -
> >> > > SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A
> >> > > vuirtual
> >> > > server?
> >> > >
> >> > > All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC
> >> > > will
> >> > > be
> >> > > in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
> >> > >
> >> > > Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

Just to add a fact to what Geoff said, we have a number of clusters that are
mixed. In other words, we have SQL2000 and SQL2005 instances sharing a single
cluster.

Linchi

"MK" wrote:

> We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to consolidate.
>
> On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2 nodes -
> SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A vuirtual
> server?
>
> All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC will be
> in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
>
> Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster 

One advatage of a 4-node cluster is that you can save some money by having
multiple nodes sharing a common standby node. For instance, you can configure
your 4 nodes as a 3+1 cluster with three nodes actively running SQL instances
and with one node spare for failover. This is less robust than three pairs of
two-node clusters, but you save some hardware and rack space--a trade off you
must decide whether you want to make.

Linchi

"Mark B" wrote:

> you could still do that with a 2x2 all that it would mean is that you'd lose
> that possibility to cluster a vserver across 4 nodes. You do introduces more
> risk on a 4 node too, in that if your quorum corrupts all 4 nodes will die.
> On a 2x2 obviously only 2 nodes will die. However that said I've built 4
> node 64 bit with no problems to date.
> Regards,
>
> Mark.
>
>
> "MK" wrote in message
>
> > Rich to you other question on why we want one big cluster? We have tones
> > of
> > single instance enviornments so by staging a HA schalable env the vision
> > is
> > it move them all onto these virtual servers.
> >
> > "MK" wrote:
> >
> >> I want to setup A/A SQL 2k and 2k5 virtual servers on a 4 node OS
> >> cluster.
> >> Don't know if they can coexist on same nodes.
> >>
> >> "Justin Rich" wrote:
> >>
> >> > Wouldnt that just be 2 x 2 node clusters?
> >> >
> >> > why would you want to make it one big cluster?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "MK" wrote in message
> >> >
> >> > > We have mix of both SQL 2000 and 2005 enviroments. The push is to
> >> > > consolidate.
> >> > >
> >> > > On 4 node windows 2003 64 bit cluster: Is it possible to host on 2
> >> > > nodes -
> >> > > SQL 2000 A/A Virtual server and on 3rd and 4th node SQL 2005 A/A
> >> > > vuirtual
> >> > > server?
> >> > >
> >> > > All virtual servers will have have there own database drives. MSDTC
> >> > > will
> >> > > be
> >> > > in its own group containing IP and drive for MSDTC logs.
> >> > >
> >> > > Do you see any issues? suggestions plz.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
>
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: 4 Node cluster