Constructing a multi-zone and multi-region SQL Server Failover Cluster Occasion in Azure

1. Initialize the additional 20GB disk on SQLNode1.
2. Format it because the F: drive.
3. Assign the identical drive letter (F:) on SQLNode2 and SQLNode3 to take care of consistency.

8. Create the DataKeeper job to duplicate the F: drive

Now that the F: drive is configured, we create a DataKeeper replication job to synchronize knowledge between the nodes:

1. Synchronous replication between SQLNode1 and SQLNode2 (for low-latency, intra-region failover).
2. Asynchronous replication between SQLNode1 and SQLNode3 (for cross-region catastrophe restoration).

Steps:

1. Launch DataKeeper and create a brand new replication job.
2. Configure synchronous replication for the F: drive between SQLNode1 and SQLNode2.
3. Configure asynchronous replication between SQLNode1 and SQLNode3.

The screenshots under stroll by means of the method of making the DataKeeper job that replicates the F: drive between the three servers.

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So as to add the second goal, right-click on the present Job and select “Create a Mirror.”

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As soon as replication is energetic, SQLNode2 and SQLNode3 may have an equivalent copy of the information saved on SQLNode1’s F: drive.

When you look in Failover Cluster Supervisor, you will note “DataKeeper Quantity F” in Obtainable Storage. Failover clustering will deal with this like it’s a common shared disk.

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 9. Set up SQL Server on SQLNode1 as a brand new clustered occasion

With WSFC configured and storage replication energetic, we are able to now set up SQL Server FCI.

Steps:

1. On SQLNode1, launch the SQL Server installer.
2. Select “New SQL Server failover cluster set up.”
3. Full the set up and restart SQLNode1.

You’ll discover throughout the set up, that the “DataKeeper Quantity F” is introduced as an obtainable storage location.

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10. Set up SQL Server on SQLNode2 and SQLNode3 (Add Node to Cluster)

To finish the SQL Server FCI, we should add the remaining nodes to the cluster.

Steps:

1. Run SQL Server setup on SQLNode2 and SQLNode3.
2. Select “Add node to an current SQL Server failover cluster.”
3. Validate cluster settings and full the set up.

As soon as SQL Server is put in on all three cluster nodes, Failover Cluster Supervisor will seem like this.

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11. Replace SQL Server to make use of a distributed community identify (DNN)

By default, SQL Server FCI requires an Azure load balancer (ALB) to handle shopper connections. Nonetheless, Azure now helps distributed community names (DNNs), eliminating the necessity for an ALB.

Steps:

1. Replace SQL Server FCI to make use of DNN as a substitute of a standard floating IP.
2. Guarantee identify decision works throughout all nodes.
3. Validate shopper connectivity to SQL Server utilizing DNN.

Detailed directions on the way to replace SQL Server FCI to make use of DNN will be discovered within the Microsoft documentation.

Add-ClusterResource -Identify sqlserverdnn -ResourceType "Distributed Community Identify" -Group "SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)" 

Get-ClusterResource -Identify sqlserverdnn | Set-ClusterParameter -Identify DnsName -Worth FCIDNN 

Begin-ClusterResource -Identify sqlserverdnn 

Now you can connect with the clustered SQL occasion utilizing the DNN “FCIDNN.”

12. Set up SQL Server Administration Studio (SSMS) on all three nodes

For simpler SQL Server administration, set up SQL Server Administration Studio (SSMS) on all three nodes.

Steps:

1. Obtain the newest model of SSMS from Microsoft.
2. Set up SSMS on SQLNode1, SQLNode2, and SQLNode3.
3. Hook up with the SQL Server cluster utilizing DNN.

 13. Check failover and switchover eventualities

Lastly, we validate HA and DR performance by testing failover and switchover eventualities:

1. Carry out a deliberate failover (handbook switchover) from SQLNode1 to SQLNode2.
2. Simulate an AZ failure and observe automated failover.
3. Check cross-region failover from SQLNode1 (East US 2) to SQLNode3 (Central US).

This confirms that SQL Server FCI can seamlessly failover inside AZs and throughout areas, making certain minimal downtime and knowledge integrity.

4 nines uptime

By following these steps, we now have efficiently deployed, configured, and examined a multi-AZ, multi-region SQL Server FCI in Azure. This structure offers 99.99% uptime, seamless failover, and catastrophe restoration capabilities, making it very best for business-critical functions. 

Dave Bermingham is senior technical evangelist at SIOS Expertise.

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