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SQL Server cluster in VMware/CX4/iSCSI environ.
Hey guys. Is anyone successfully running a SQL Server 2005 or 2007 two-node cluster on ESX 3.5 using FC to Clariion CX4? I have a customer who is set up on SQL but is using iSCSI for the database connectivity and having issues. They would really like to move their datastore to fibre channel. Any recommendations or assistance would be great! Thanks.
pwhyton
12 Posts
0
November 12th, 2009 14:00
Clustering depends on how the ESX is configured. If DRS is configured then you'll see SCSI reservations which will make the VM run like a slug! you can run SQL on FC in VMware clusters where DRS is not enabled, option to get around it is to have active node physical and put multiple DR nodes on VM.
If you want to get full functionality of DRS/VMotion then you can upgrade to vSphere and windows 2008 or try the iSCSI route providing the iSCSI initiator is in the VM and none of the shared disks are under ESX control. I've got to say i haven't tried this and it will depend on how busy the Databases will be, How stable the network is and have you got enough networking capacity to isolate the iSCSI in the VM with a seperate physical NIC.
hope this helps
regards
Paul
jhebert1
28 Posts
0
November 13th, 2009 07:00
Thanks for the reply, Paul.
So for a customer running ESX with DRS,
SQL 2005 cluster on virtualized Win 2008 with Microsoft iscsi initiators, ESX 3.5, CX4 iscsi backend is valid
SQL 2005 cluster on virtualized Win 2008, ESX 3.5, CX4 FC backend is not vailid
SQL 2005 cluster on virtualized Win 2008, ESX 4.0, CX4 FC or iSCSI backend is valid
Does that sound like an accurate summation to you?
pwhyton
12 Posts
0
November 13th, 2009 11:00
couple of white papers attached that may help.
essentially as follows:
1. Windows 2003 MSCS on ESX without VMware DRS is OK
2. As above with DRS not suppoprted due to disk locking
3. Windows 2008 on vSphere in DRS cluster is supported with RDM in physical emulation.
4 pdfs attached
4 Attachments
vsp_40_mscs.pdf
vi3_35_25_u2_mscs.pdf
perf_vsphere_sql_scalability.pdf
SQLServerWorkloads.pdf
minksg
546 Posts
0
November 16th, 2009 08:00
Just wanted to jump in here, because this question is starting to creep towards the support realm.
In case everyone missed the announcement, the support forums have moved to ECN! Here's the link to the main page.