This is my 3rd and last post of the series of building SQL Server 2012 failover cluster. This will cover the steps adding a new named database instance to the cluster that is already created. Please refer to the 1st part for understanding the context of the overall demonstration. You must finish part 1 in order to apply the steps defined here in your case.
Part 1: Installing SQL Server 2012 failover cluster
Part 2: Adding second node to the cluster
This will be very similar to SQL Server 2012 installation in part 1. So, the recommendations given there apply here as well. Assumed you logged in with a cluster admin account to Node1 or Node2.
Step#
Screen capture
1. Start the Setup media
2. Click Installation. Then 'New SQL Server failover cluster installation'
3. OK
4. Uncheck 'Include SQL Server product updates' if not connected to Internet. Then Next
5. Next
6. Provide the product key. Then Next
7. Check the license agreement checkbox. Then Next
8. Next
9. Select Instance Features. Then Next
10. Next
11. Provide Network and Instance Name. Then Next
12. Next
13. Next
14. Select disks needed by the instance. Then Next
15. Check IP Type (IPv4) and provide IP Address. Then Next
16. Provide service account credentials for engine and agent services. Then Next.
17. Add current user as sysadmin.
Click on Data Directories tab. Then give path to each directory
18. Next
19. Next
20. Next
21. SUCCESS. Close.
In this post, I have shared with you the scenario of adding a new database instance to the SQL Server 2012 failover cluster that is created in the part 1. This is the last piece of the post series of implementing highly available SQL data services by utilizing clusters. But, not the last on High Available (HA) data services, which is one of the major enhancements of SQL 2012 Server. There are more to say about SQL 2012 Server HA features, added some resources below. Perhaps next time, we can dive into it, stay tuned
Resources on SQL Server 2012 HA
Don't you suppose to go to the second node and add the node to the new instance you created, same steps you initially followed to adding the cluster node? If not, how the instance will fail to the second node?
In your tutorial you use the same SQL Server Network Name for both Part 1 and Part 3, when I try to do this I get an error saying, The SQL Server Failover Cluster instance name "BLA" already exists as a clustered resource, please tell me how you got around this?????????
@Patrick, I have used different network names used (CSQLSP and CSQLAPP) in fact. For the issue you are having, simply, you could give a different name, perhaps?
@Lara, in simplest terms, it is Windows clustering feature job as long as cluster health (no issues around connectivity, disks, sql server instances, etc.)
but when you use different network names, it means you have different failover clusters. This isn't the same as two instances in a single failover cluster.
Good point Lara, failover won't work if you don't add the node