Hi,

Our customer wants to go from a standalone SQL server
implementation to a clustered one. We recommended
Active/Passive for them since they do not have a heavy
load, they just wnat redundancy. When they tested their
client application against the Active/Passive cluster
server they found out (as expected) that their client
application that was accessing the SQL server failed when
the cluster failover occured (the connection was lost when
they were doing thie bulk insert). I explained they needed
to modify their application to re-connect to the cluster
and retry the transaction. They dont like this.

The question I have is: Would an Active/Active
implentation prevent a customer from having to modify
their software? If a server fails will the client
application continue to do the bulk insert uninterrupted?

Thanks!

Actrive/Active has a second (or more) SQL Instance on the cluster. The
behavior of the first instance is unchanged. The disconnect and reconnect
at failover will still have to happen. Active/Active does not imply both
nodes are servicing the same database or instance at the same time.

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

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

<anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

I would like to know the steps necessary to switch from an Active/Passive cluster to an Active/Active one.

From the messages I have been reading, it sounds like the only difference is that Active/Active services clients from two different SQL instances. Is that the case?

I have a Windows 2003 Enterprise Server Active/Passive cluster setup currently. I don't know how to change the model from A/P to A/A on the OS. I also am not sure about what to do with the SQL - is this just a separate instance, or does changing the OS to A/A also affect the SQL?

Please let me know,
Thanks.

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There is no 'change'. Active\Active means having a second SQL instance,
complete with IP address, disk resources, and network name on your cluster.
The second instance does not have any interaction with the first instance.
It is a new virtual server that normally resides on a different host node
than the first. If you have unused shared disk resources and need a second
SQL server, then you can load SQL again on the cluster and create the new
instance.

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

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"Grant Joslyn" <gjoslyn (AT) parker (DOT) com> wrote

that the case?
I also am not sure about what to do with the SQL - is this just a separate
instance, or does changing the OS to A/A also affect the SQL?