SQL Server 2005 Failover Cluster Using One Server?
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/857875
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21-08-2019 - |
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I am developing an application that is hosted on a SQL Server 2005 failover cluster. The application (developed using C#, .Net 2.0) makes use of a number of the clustered resources (printers, file shares, etc). I would like to set up a testing environment that replicates the cluster. However, the current test environment has only one SQL server, and there is no hope of ever getting a second server to create a full cluster. Is there some way I can mock the cluster environment using only a single server?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Many thanks, MagicAndi.
Solution
Use virtual machines. I had used MS Virtual Server and R2 for this, it has support for creating a virtual cluster. I've been doing this a lot of times when I had to test against clusters and make sure my code survives fail overs gracefully.
The whole process is a bit convoluted, as you will need to create a virtual private network and have the two virtual hosts share a virtual SCSI drive for the cluster, but fortunately there are good step by step guides out there. Here is a good one: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/virtualserver/deploy/cvs2005.mspx
Once you have your cluster up and running, go ahead and install a clustered SQL instance on it, the process is exactly as you would do it on a real metal cluster.
OTHER TIPS
It just so happens that SQL Server Central posted an article on this today: Setting up a SQL cluster under MS VS2005 R2 Part1, By Perry Whittle
I would think that you would be able to achieve it through OS virtualization.
About the only potential option would be to set up virtual machines on the one server. Honestly, however, I don't know if MS clutering supports using virtual machines as cluster nodes.
I haven't tried it, but you could try installing another instance of sql server on the server.
No, MS clustering do supports using virtual machines as cluster nodes....and its a good option to use virtual machines for to test your cluster environment if the physical machine has a good resources.
