Question

Is SQL Server Enterprise mandatory for clustering?

Asked by: JoseParrot

Our web site has one server with MS SQL Server 2003 Standard under Windows Server 2000 Standard .

Now we are to install a cluster for SQL Server with two nodes.
Each node is a Dell 1950 dual Xeon Quad.
We want an active/active cluster such that they divide the job in balance.

MS reseller says it must be SQL Server Enterprise to do that, but I found that SQL Server 2008 Standard, under Windows Server Enterprise 2003 does the clustering as we want. The limitations are that SQL Standard supports only two nodes (that's what we have!) and maximum of 4 processors (we have only two!). We need also to replicate to a third server, by using log shipping, at our Secondary (backup site).

We need that at Primary site one of the servers to be capable of run alone in case of failure of the companion node. In case of failure of the entire Primary site, we can start manually the Secondary.

At Primary site, Windows is Enterprise 2003 in both nodes, at Secondary, Windows is Standard 2003.
To avoid  SQL upgrade together with so many changes, we would like to downgrade the SQL 2008 license to 2005.

In few words:
Is SQL Server Enterprise mandatory to run the 2 node active/active cluster as we want? If not, is Standard enogh to clustering in active/passive mode?

Thanks in advance,
Jose

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Asked On
2008-03-31 at 18:22:59ID23284528
Tags

Microsoft

,

SQL Server

,

2008 (downgrade to 2005)

,

Cluster and log shipping

Topics

Windows 2003 Server

,

MS SQL Server

,

SQL Server 2005

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: laneduncanPosted on 2008-03-31 at 18:35:05ID: 21250608

Standard and Enterprise will support clustering, though standard only supports two nodes in the cluster.

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/features/compare-features.mspx

 

by: laneduncanPosted on 2008-03-31 at 18:54:34ID: 21250675

...which is to say that standard should work for your business needs; the only limitation is on the number of nodes, not how those nodes are used.

 

by: laneduncanPosted on 2008-03-31 at 19:09:06ID: 21250732

Do make sure that, with your secondary Win 2003 server, standard ed of the OS is sufficient:  if you're on a 32-bit architecture, the 4GB RAM limit can be troublesome.  

 

by: JoseParrotPosted on 2008-03-31 at 19:18:16ID: 21250770

Thanks for your attention.

Please note I'm buying SQL Std 2008 but as Applications guys aren't able to upgrade now, then I will stay in 2005. My target now is to have high availability and a bit more than a simple active/passive cluster, where the passive is always in standby mode.

Can you please confirm if my understanding is correct, say if this configuration (the topology at the schema SQL-Architecture.jpg + SQL 2005 Std + Windows 2003 Enterprise) can do an active/active clustering?

Jose

 

by: JoseParrotPosted on 2008-03-31 at 19:19:30ID: 21250777

I am in x64 land.

 

by: JoseParrotPosted on 2008-03-31 at 19:31:44ID: 21250806

Ianeduncan,
To close the question, I put the schema with final SW configurations.

Jose

 

by: JoseParrotPosted on 2008-03-31 at 19:45:38ID: 21250853

Just now reading your previous comment  
".. that standard should work for your business needs..."
which confirm my understanding as in the SQL-arch2.jpg.

Thanks a lot for your valuable support.

Jose

 

by: JoseParrotPosted on 2008-03-31 at 19:46:55ID: 31444680

Very quick and precise answer. Thanks!

 

by: laneduncanPosted on 2008-04-01 at 04:40:35ID: 21252892

No sweat; thanks for the points.  Just for additional information, the vendor might be remembering SQL Srv 2000, which had, I believe, the limitation they mention:  clustering was an enterprise-only feature.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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