Creating and managing a SQL Server failover cluster instance involves the following steps:
1. Setting up the Windows Server Failover Cluster (WSFC): Before setting up the SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance (FCI), first, you need to create a WSFC, which is a group of servers that work together to manage and provide high availability for clustered resources. To set up a WSFC, you need at least two physical servers running a Windows Server operating system.
2. Meeting the prerequisites: Before installing SQL Server onto an FC instance, you need to meet specific hardware and software requirements. These requirements include having a storage area network (SAN), installing the appropriate networking protocols, enabling domain name system (DNS) resolution, installing the failover clustering feature, and creating domain accounts for SQL Server services.
3. Installing SQL Server FCI: After meeting the prerequisites, install SQL Server onto the WSFC by selecting the "Installation" option from the SQL Server setup menu. During installation, you need to select the "SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance" option, provide the virtual network name (VNN) of the instance, and specify the service accounts running the SQL Server services.
4. Configuring SQL Server FCI: After installing SQL Server on each node, configure the SQL Server instance. The configuration process involves creating a SQL Server administrator account, defining the instance name and network settings, setting up disk and storage configuration, and configuring the filestream feature.
5. Testing and managing the SQL Server FCI: Once the SQL Server FCI is installed, tested, and configured, it is essential to monitor the instance and manage it regularly. Regular management tasks include modifying the configuration settings, monitoring the available storage space, configuring backup, and testing failover capabilities.
6. Performing failover: In the event of a hardware or software failure on the active node, the WSFC automatically fails over the SQL Server FCI to the passive node. This process ensures that an instance is available, reducing downtime and ensuring high availability. To perform a manual failover or troubleshoot issues with SQL Server FCI, you can use the WSFC Manager interface or PowerShell cmdlets.
In summary, creating and managing a SQL Server FCI involves setting up a WSFC, meeting the prerequisites, installing SQL Server, configuring the instance, testing and managing the FCI, and performing failover as necessary.