upgrading cluster hardware

[Database Administrator]

Hi group,

We have a two node windows 2000 sp4 cluster running SQL 2000 SP3 in
active/active mode.
We just want to upgrade the hardware now, what is the easiest way? Can you
remove one physical node while all sql instances are on the other one. Then
take the new hardware, add it to the cluster and move the cluster groups to
the new node, doing the same with the other node then.

Is there a white paper from Microsoft saying this is supported or are there
any documents describing that step by step.

Thanks for the help

Volker

[Database Administrator]

That's pretty much the process. It's known as a rolling upgrade. Just move
the groups to one node, remove the other node and then add the other node,
following the procedure in the BOL. You'll have to add the SP to the new
node. In that case, add the SP to the new node, while the groups are on the
*other* node. However, for any hotfixes, you will have to run those from
the new node while the groups are running on the *new* node.

--
Tom

----------------------------------------------------
Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA
SQL Server MVP
Columnist, SQL Server Professional
Toronto, ON Canada
www.pinpub.com
..
"Volker Schmid" wrote in message
news:OTtEP%23nvFHA.1988@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
Hi group,

We have a two node windows 2000 sp4 cluster running SQL 2000 SP3 in
active/active mode.
We just want to upgrade the hardware now, what is the easiest way? Can you
remove one physical node while all sql instances are on the other one. Then
take the new hardware, add it to the cluster and move the cluster groups to
the new node, doing the same with the other node then.

Is there a white paper from Microsoft saying this is supported or are there
any documents describing that step by step.

Thanks for the help

Volker

[Database Administrator]

Hi Tom,

thanks for your help. The BOL documentation was what I needed. What do you
mean with "...add the SP to the new node"?
Do I have to install the service pack again?

Regards
Volker



"Tom Moreau" wrote in message
news:%2367ZBvpvFHA.552@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> That's pretty much the process. It's known as a rolling upgrade. Just
> move
> the groups to one node, remove the other node and then add the other node,
> following the procedure in the BOL. You'll have to add the SP to the new
> node. In that case, add the SP to the new node, while the groups are on
> the
> *other* node. However, for any hotfixes, you will have to run those from
> the new node while the groups are running on the *new* node.
>
> --
> Tom
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA
> SQL Server MVP
> Columnist, SQL Server Professional
> Toronto, ON Canada
> www.pinpub.com
> .
> "Volker Schmid" wrote in message
> news:OTtEP%23nvFHA.1988@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Hi group,
>
> We have a two node windows 2000 sp4 cluster running SQL 2000 SP3 in
> active/active mode.
> We just want to upgrade the hardware now, what is the easiest way? Can you
> remove one physical node while all sql instances are on the other one.
> Then
> take the new hardware, add it to the cluster and move the cluster groups
> to
> the new node, doing the same with the other node then.
>
> Is there a white paper from Microsoft saying this is supported or are
> there
> any documents describing that step by step.
>
> Thanks for the help
>
> Volker
>
>

[Database Administrator]

Yes. The install process puts RTM binaries on the new node. Those have to
be updated with any service packs or hotfixes you ran. You will also have
to install the service pack and hotfixes for each instance, just like you
did before.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Senior Database Administrator
Microsoft SQL Server MVP

"Volker Schmid" wrote in message
news:u1kF25qvFHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi Tom,
>
> thanks for your help. The BOL documentation was what I needed. What do you
> mean with "...add the SP to the new node"?
> Do I have to install the service pack again?
>
> Regards
> Volker
>
>
>
> "Tom Moreau" wrote in message
> news:%2367ZBvpvFHA.552@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> That's pretty much the process. It's known as a rolling upgrade. Just
>> move
>> the groups to one node, remove the other node and then add the other
>> node,
>> following the procedure in the BOL. You'll have to add the SP to the new
>> node. In that case, add the SP to the new node, while the groups are on
>> the
>> *other* node. However, for any hotfixes, you will have to run those from
>> the new node while the groups are running on the *new* node.
>>
>> --
>> Tom
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------
>> Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA
>> SQL Server MVP
>> Columnist, SQL Server Professional
>> Toronto, ON Canada
>> www.pinpub.com
>> .
>> "Volker Schmid" wrote in message
>> news:OTtEP%23nvFHA.1988@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> Hi group,
>>
>> We have a two node windows 2000 sp4 cluster running SQL 2000 SP3 in
>> active/active mode.
>> We just want to upgrade the hardware now, what is the easiest way? Can
>> you
>> remove one physical node while all sql instances are on the other one.
>> Then
>> take the new hardware, add it to the cluster and move the cluster groups
>> to
>> the new node, doing the same with the other node then.
>>
>> Is there a white paper from Microsoft saying this is supported or are
>> there
>> any documents describing that step by step.
>>
>> Thanks for the help
>>
>> Volker
>>
>>
>
>

[Database Administrator]

Be careful, this is NOT a rolling upgrade. A rolling upgrade would leave
all hardware in place and then upgrade each node, one at a time, to, for
instance, a new version of the OS. You are doing a hardware upgrade, and in
all likelihood, will also want to consider upgrading to Windows Server 2003,
Enterprise Edition.

If all you do is upgrade the hardware but are staying with Windows 2000,
then all should go as BOL and Tom have indicated. However, if you also
upgrade the OS, you will run into difficulty when you try to service pack
the system will still in a "mixed-version" cluster. What you will find is
that you will not be able to run the SQL Server instances on the Win2K3 node
until it is service packed, and it is getting these service packs and
post-SP hotfixes in place that will be troublesome.

Here are a couple of articles that will help get you going:

This document explains many of the SQL Server 2000 Failover Clustering
technicle details.

SQL Server 2000 Failover Clustering
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro.../failclus.mspx

There are two sections you need to pay particular attention to:

Maintaining a SQL Server 2000 Failover Cluster
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...clus.mspx#EIAA

Look for the: "Adding or Removing a Cluster Node from the Virtual Server
Definition" section. It will describe how to "Evict" a cluster node and
then replace it with a rebuilt or new one.

Troubleshooting SQL Server 2000 Failover Clusters
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...clus.mspx#EHAA

The "Repairing a Single Node Failure and Quorum Disk Failure" section will
also describe how to replace a node.

Here are several articles on what Tom was referring to as a "Rolling
Upgrade." Remember, these are for software and/or component upgrades, not
hardware. For hardware, refer to the above articles.

Server Clusters: Rolling Upgrades. Upgrading to Windows Server 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro.../rllupnet.mspx

Perform a last node rolling upgrade from Windows 2000
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...ef137ff15.mspx

Perform a rolling upgrade from Windows 2000
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...0f8c5035c.mspx

Rolling Upgrades
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...ff977ef91.mspx

Restrictions on rolling upgrades
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...f300fcd61.mspx

INF: Upgrading SQL Server Clusters to Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313037/

Unfortunately, if you are like me, I DO NOT like to upgrade my OS. I prefer
to install clean builds. Upgrading always leaves the problems of the last
build laying around that a clean build allows us to start of with a clean
slate.

In order to accomplish this, you will have to perform a combination of
harware, or node replacement, as well as OS replacement/upgrade. This can
be tricky.

BUG: Correcting Mismatched Binaries on SQL Clustered Virtual Server
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;295589

BUG: Cluster Administrator: Node Two Is Not a Possible Owner in SQL Server
Resources
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;319601

Basically, you will not be able to run SQL Server on the Windows 2003 node
until the binaries have been upgraded; however, if you re-apply SP3 from the
Windows 2000 node that is currently running the SQL Server instance, SP3
will try to apply the patch to all nodes in the cluster. For this to occur,
SP3 will try to move resources to all nodes before applying the SP. Since
the node can't run the instance, the installation fails.

You apply the SP while logged into the newly added node. This will update
the binaries only. The goes for SP4 as well. At this point, you should be
able to apply any subsequent hot fixes.

Check out the "Clarification to Section 3.10 - Installing on a Failover
Cluster" section of the updates to the SP3 readme documentation:

INF: SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3 Readme.htm Additions
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330022

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,


Anthony Thomas



--

"Geoff N. Hiten" wrote in message
news:%23i0fo$qvFHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
Yes. The install process puts RTM binaries on the new node. Those have to
be updated with any service packs or hotfixes you ran. You will also have
to install the service pack and hotfixes for each instance, just like you
did before.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Senior Database Administrator
Microsoft SQL Server MVP

"Volker Schmid" wrote in message
news:u1kF25qvFHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi Tom,
>
> thanks for your help. The BOL documentation was what I needed. What do you
> mean with "...add the SP to the new node"?
> Do I have to install the service pack again?
>
> Regards
> Volker
>
>
>
> "Tom Moreau" wrote in message
> news:%2367ZBvpvFHA.552@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> That's pretty much the process. It's known as a rolling upgrade. Just
>> move
>> the groups to one node, remove the other node and then add the other
>> node,
>> following the procedure in the BOL. You'll have to add the SP to the new
>> node. In that case, add the SP to the new node, while the groups are on
>> the
>> *other* node. However, for any hotfixes, you will have to run those from
>> the new node while the groups are running on the *new* node.
>>
>> --
>> Tom
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------
>> Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA
>> SQL Server MVP
>> Columnist, SQL Server Professional
>> Toronto, ON Canada
>> www.pinpub.com
>> .
>> "Volker Schmid" wrote in message
>> news:OTtEP%23nvFHA.1988@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> Hi group,
>>
>> We have a two node windows 2000 sp4 cluster running SQL 2000 SP3 in
>> active/active mode.
>> We just want to upgrade the hardware now, what is the easiest way? Can
>> you
>> remove one physical node while all sql instances are on the other one.
>> Then
>> take the new hardware, add it to the cluster and move the cluster groups
>> to
>> the new node, doing the same with the other node then.
>>
>> Is there a white paper from Microsoft saying this is supported or are
>> there
>> any documents describing that step by step.
>>
>> Thanks for the help
>>
>> Volker
>>
>>
>
>

[amirR9ART]

Volder - I wonder if you fail-over and turn off the first node and install the new hardware with the same name and IP as the one you turned off, how will that work! Do you have to install all SQL instances, SPs, etc while in a workgroup, before coming online with the same old name? Concern would be the on-line node will see its partner back on line and hopefully work!

I am going to have the same situation, but I have Win2K3 running SQL 2005 with multiple named instances on my cluster.

Did you complete the task? Was there a good refernce for kind of things can happen?

A.