How to Configure Failover Cluster in SQL Server ?

 1. Initial Network Setup

Creating Failover Cluster in SQL Server is quite clear and straightforward. However, before you can setup an SQL Server Failover cluster, you must have two or more computers on the network. In this demo, I’m using three computer:

SQLSERVER1 – first node of the cluster

SQLSERVER2 – second node of the cluster

SQLSERVER3 – storage node, contains iSCSI virtual disks

See How to Setup a Domain Network

2. Install Failover Cluster on SQLSERVER1

You have to first install SQL Failover Cluster on one of the nodes. Follow the steps below to do that:

Step 1 – Run the SQL Server Setup and choose ‘New SQL Server Failover Cluster installation’ as shown below

New SQL Server Failover Cluster Installation

Step 2 – Follow the steps until you get to the ‘Install Failover Cluster Rules’, make sure that no test failed as shown below.

Ensure that none of the test failed

Step 3 – Continue on the the next step. In the Feature selection, ensure that Database Engine is selected

Ensure Database Engine is Selected

Step 4 – In the Instance Configuration, select Named Instance and give it a name. For me I called it SQLCLUSTER

Use named instance

Step 5 – You may receive the error below

“the given network name  is unusable….due to the following error: The network address is invalid”

To correct this error, just uninstall VirtualBox Guest Additions and restart

Step 6 – At the cluster resource group as shown below, click next

Cluster Resource Group

Step 7 – In the Cluster Disk Selection, select all the available storage as shown below

Cluster Disk Selection

Step 8 – In Cluster Network Selection, select Ipv4 and DHCP

Cluster Network Configuration

Step 9 – Specify the user account for the Agent and Database Engine

Server Configuration

Step 10 – Add the server administrators

Specify the administrators

Step 11 – Follow the step and complete the installation

SQL Failover Cluster Successful Installation

Next you need to Add Node to the Cluster