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Convert Windows 2003 Cluster with SQL Server 2000 to VMWare VM
We have a 2 node Microsoft SQL Server 2000 cluster we want to move to VMWare. This cluster contains 2 nodes with 5 instances. Each instance has it's own IP address. Our plan is to evict the secondary node from the cluster and convert the primary node to a VM. Once the primary node is on VMWare we do not care if it has another node attached to it. The storage for the existing nodes is on a SAN that is not attached to our VMWare environment as it is being decommissioned. Will this work? This is only a stopgap measure.
What new storage will you have if your not connecting the vm to the san?
Also if you want to limit downtime you could failover the cluster move the primary to the vm recover the failover and decommission the secondary node. This will also mean you have a clear rollback path ... If it don't work you can run it from the secondary..
Also if you want to limit downtime you could failover the cluster move the primary to the vm recover the failover and decommission the secondary node. This will also mean you have a clear rollback path ... If it don't work you can run it from the secondary..
ASKER
hancocks,
I do not understand your statement about the missing storage. We want Converter to convert all the current drives/luns assigned to the existing cluster and create them in VMWare as VMDKs. We realize we could zone the existing SAN to the VMWare Cluster but this SAN is being decommisioned. The VMWare Cluster has a new SAN attached to it but we really do not care if the SQL cluster we are trying to convert has a second node any more. We just want to get the data off the old SAN and the old physical servers. To be more specific about the question, will the SQL cluster come up if we convert it to a VM?
I do not understand your statement about the missing storage. We want Converter to convert all the current drives/luns assigned to the existing cluster and create them in VMWare as VMDKs. We realize we could zone the existing SAN to the VMWare Cluster but this SAN is being decommisioned. The VMWare Cluster has a new SAN attached to it but we really do not care if the SQL cluster we are trying to convert has a second node any more. We just want to get the data off the old SAN and the old physical servers. To be more specific about the question, will the SQL cluster come up if we convert it to a VM?
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ASKER
hancocks,
I was afraid of that. Can MSCS be removed and still have the instances with the alternate ip addresses function?
I was afraid of that. Can MSCS be removed and still have the instances with the alternate ip addresses function?
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ASKER
No actual solution was provided just what would occur if we tried to bring up the cluster after converting to a VM. I would like to have seen more information on what was actually asked and some tasks to help me walk through the process.
Download VMware vCenter Converter here
http://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/datacenter_downloads/vmware_vcenter_converter_standalone/4_0
VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 4.x Documentation
http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/converter_pubs.html
VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 4.3 User Guide
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/convsa_43_guide.pdf