Migrate to new iSCSI storage SQL

Hi,

SQL and Windows simply references the disk based on the partition label such as C:\, D:\, E:\, F:\ etc.

Can you present the new LUNs to the servers whilst keeping the old LUNs available? This might require another iSCSI adapter if you have independant SAN fabrics. If you can do that I will setup the new LUNs shut the applications down in a maintenance period copy the data from the old LUNs to the new ones and then change the disk label for the old LUNs and make the new LUNs use the original labels. Then restart the cluster and applications and they should not notice the change.

So eg.
Quorum - disk Q:\
SQL Data files - disk F:\
SQL Log files - disk G:\

Create new LUNs as disk R:\, J:\ and K:\, shutdown the apps, copy Q:\ to R:\, copy F:\ to J:\ and copy G:\ to K:\ then make the orignal QF and K disks labels T, L and M and make the new LUNs labels back to Q:\, F:\ and G:\ and restart the cluster and application services.

The downside to this is you need application downtime to copy all the files and you should use something like Secure Copy to ensure the permissions, etc all get copied.

Clustering doesn't use disk letters, it requires the disk signature to be the same. Easiest way is to break the cluster and re-create it with the new resources. Loads of documents on Technet about it, for example http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305793/en-us (but you try to find dumpcfg)

It's been a while since I've done MSCS for SQL, but if memory serves me, couldn't you just ADD additional resources (from your NEW iSCSI SAN) to the cluster resource pool, then move the databases: Just do a sp_detach_db , move the data/logs to the new iSCSI drives, then sp_attach_db
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224071.  I know it is a bit more complex for the system databases but there is a link in that article for doing that as well.

Then you WOULD have to move the quorum drive, but here's an article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/280353 (this is for 2000/2003, not sure which version of Windows you are clustering with)

Once you are all done you could remove the old drives from the resource pool of the cluster.

So if I understand correctly
I can add new iSCSI targets to the server (new SAN)
Add disk to cluster as new resource pool or existing?
Copy the data.
Then what
Remove previous disk from resource group
How do I move the qourum disk over and remove the old qourum disk

The windows version is Win 2003
Sorry just now getting around to this, so sorry for the delays.

Better yet,
I am planning on not using the cluster as it is now.
How can I dismantle the cluster and make it a standalone server again, with the new ISCSI taget.
Keep in mind SQL is installed in cluster mode,
And I need to keep sql running on the primary server.
Is the only way to uninstall \ re-install?
I was wanting to decomission the second node. I also dont believe the second node will be able to see the new ISCSI disk anyways (not 100% sure on this) its in a remote location.

Aaah.  I think you would just go through the process to "remove" the 2nd node from the cluster.

I'm not sure about how you "decommission" the cluster.  I think you would either have to operate in a "1 node cluster" or reinstall SQL to get it to be configured as a non-clustered node.

Thanks teledata for your comment.

If I chose to go the route of Adding the new ISCSI storage to the cluster. (Both nodes)
How do I go about making sure that SQL \ Data\logs operate as it was before.
Lets say that the cluster currently has the following drives
q: quorum
D: Data
L: logs
Sql is installed in the cluster
If I attach new storage it would assign different drive letters. as it sees new drives. These would be formatted and added to the machine.
Do I stop sql services,
Copy the data
Change drive letters so the new drivers are now Q: D: and :l respectively.
Then restart sql\cluster services?
What about the quorum -- Does it work like that
Or should I add the new storage
let it make new drive letters example  M N and O:
then copy the data
then what do i do for the cluster \ sql piece so that it points to the new drive letters

I want to mimimize downtime, and understand that there will be a disruption in services.
I just need to move all the ISCSI drives from one SAN to a new SAN
Quorum, data, logs and all.
I am confused on the best way to do this, while maintaining cluster and data integrety

Thanks for your help and comments

Any Thoughts?

If memory serves me correct, when you setup shared storage to the cluster in the beginning, you do one node at a time, while the other node is offline. then bring the other node online and add to the cluster.
Will we have to do similar steps when adding new shared disk to the cluster.
Setup server connection to iSCSI NAS, map drives, add to cluster?

Yes, you would add resources (drives) to the cluster just as you always would (one node at a time)...