Install to cluster --

randyj

Any hints or tips on installing to a cluster ?

petey

I've only installed SQL Backup on a SQL Server 2000 cluster. You cannot use the standard setup as that only installs the server components on the default instance. Instead, copy SQBCoreService.exe to the cluster node, and start it with the -I parameter followed by the instance name e.g.

SQBCoreService -I <instance name>

It's just like installing to any named instance.

randyj

Perhaps I should rephrase my question -
Is there a concise guide to installing SQL BAckup 4.0 on a Windows 2K3 two node cluster, runing multiple instances of SQL Server 2K5 ?

I've spent the past week beating my head on this, and I'm no closer to getting a working installation than I was when I started.

Thanks.

petey

Sorry, there isn't such a guide at this moment. I can try to assist you to get it working.

When you run SQBCoreService -install -i <instance name> on one of the cluster nodes, do you

- see the service installed, with the instance name appended to the service name
- can you run just the sqlbackup extended stored procedure from SQL Management Studio?

randyj

services are installed and running on both nodes of the cluster. On one node of the cluster, I see C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\(LOCAL) and C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\Production

On the other node, I see C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\(LOCAL), C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\Production and C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\Staging.

The second node was installed when both the Production and Staging DB resources were resident on the second node.

Currently (and in all cases except when failover occurs for whatever reason) each node should have a (local) and one or the other of Production / Staging instances resident. IE Node1 should have (LOCAL) and PRODUCTION, and Node2 should have (LOCAL) and STAGING.

I have registered both Servers in the GUI tool, using the 'Cluster' Name, rather than the DNS name, so that they should be able to backup / restore to the DB, regardless of which node has control of the physical assests. Each physical node of the cluster has control of the appropriate resources :
For 'Production'

SQL IP Address (PROD-PDB01)
SQL Network Name (PROD-PDB01)
SQL Server (Production)
SQL Server Agent (Production)
SQL Server Fulltext (Production)
Production DataDisk
Production LogDisk

I have installed the Server on both nodes. When I attempt to backup a db on Node1 (Production) FROM Node1, I get an error:

Backup Account
 
Backing up Account (full database) on PRODUCTION instance to:
N:\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Backup\FULL_PRODUCTION_Account_20060123_124454.sqb

Login timeout expired
Login timeout expired
SQL Network Interfaces: Error Locating Server/Instance Specified [xFFFFFFFF].

SQL error code: -1


This error is repeated no matter what combination of server / db I attempt on. A 'Bug Report' is generated, but I do not want to post it here. I'm happy to provide it to a support email address, though.

So ... what the heck is going on ?

randyj

A thought occurs to me -
Could this be because we run on 'non-standard' ports ? If so, how do I work around this ?

petey

Is the cluster name stored in the following registry key?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.<x>\Cluster\ClusterName

randyj

yes, in both cluster member cases.

petey

Do you have have entries in the following registry key?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\<instance name>\Cluster\ClusterName

randyj

I have keys named
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\PRODUCTION

and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\Staging

But no keys under those corresponding to 'Cluster\ClusterName'

petey

Did you manage to test the preliminary patch version I sent you via private message?