I've read about a thousand different things and really need a straight answer:

I'm setting up clustering on a dual-node W2K3 cluster.

If the applications that are accessing the SQL Server DO NOT utilize MSDTC,
do I need to even bother with creating the group, resources, etc. for MSDTC?
If I still need to create it, exactly what is the Network Resoource name:
just some random name I make up or is it something specific?

And doesn't SQL Server install create those anywway?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Anthony

SQL does not require MSDTC, if you app does not use it, don't install it.

Cheers,

Rod

MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering
http://msmvps.com/clustering - Blog

"A. Robinson" <A. Robinson (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Thank you!!! Was going nuts trying to convince people it didn't need to be
there if you don't use it...

"Rodney R. Fournier [MVP]" wrote:

If you won't be using it heavily, I would still set it up using in the
cluster group using the Quorum disk. I personally have had zero success
installing a clustered SQL 2000 without MSDTC.

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

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

"A. Robinson" <ARobinson (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Really? We have 20 of them. They all work great.

Cheers,

Rod

MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering
http://www.msmvps.com/clustering - Blog

"Geoff N. Hiten" <SQLCraftsman (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

While SQL Server does not require MS DTC, MS DTC on a cluster is only
supported when clustered and it is recommended to cluster it.

When clustering MS DTC it is preferred to have it in its own group with its
own resources, your second choice should be to put it in the cluster group,
use the quorum disk and create MS DTC its own Network Name and IP Address
resources for your MSDTC resource to use and set that resources properties
not to affect the group.

Here are some KB articles on correctly setting this up:

301600 How to configure Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator on a
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=301600

817064 How to enable network DTC access in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=817064

Also this article which may be of interest:

817065 How To Enable Network COM Access in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=817065

Dave Whitney
SQL Support

Agreed, since we use SQL clusters without MSDTC, we disable the default
windows service for it.

Cheers,

Rod

MVP - Windows Server - Clustering
http://www.nw-america.com - Clustering
http://www.msmvps.com/clustering - Blog

"Dave Whitney [MS]" <dwhitneyOnline (AT) microsoft (DOT) com> wrote

Well, we have been scared by the recommended best practices into submission,
and simply sucked in and coughed up a separate disk for the MSDTC resource.
(I'm not talking about whether the MSDTC resource should or should not be
configured. It should in our environments.)

Linchi

"Dave Whitney [MS]" <dwhitneyOnline (AT) microsoft (DOT) com> wrote