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Explore the powerful capabilities of SQL Server 2012 Availability Groups for ensuring high availability of your crucial data. This session covers key features including automatic failover, database-level protection, built-in Windows Server Failover Cluster support, and comparison with database mirroring technologies. Learn how to monitor Availability Groups, configure flexible failover policies, utilize cloud options, and access additional resources for troubleshooting and monitoring. Elevate your understanding of SQL Server 2012 high availability strategies with real-world insights and practical guidance.
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SQLintersectionSQL37SQL Server 2012 Availability Groups:High Availability for Your Most Important Data Aaron Bertrand, abertrand@sqlsentry.net, @AaronBertrand Kevin Kline, kekline@sqlsentry.net, @KEKline
The Basics • Inherits from DBM: • Sync / Async data protection • Automatic or manual failover • Automatic page repair • Compressed data stream • TCP endpoints • With WSFC: • Does NOT require instances to be Failover Cluster Instances (FCIs) • Does NOT require that servers start out as clustered if using standalone instances • Database-level protection • Built upon the foundation of database mirroring • Requires a Windows Server Failover Cluster. • Availability Groups (AGs) are what most people mean when they say “AlwaysOn”
What Does WSFC Mean for a Data Pro? • You need to know WSFC thoroughly. • Quorum matters. • Nodes must be part of the same domain. (Different subnets are ok). • Quorum matters. • WSFC validation is very important. • AG feature doesn’t check like in setup for FCI • It’s on YOU to check it. • %windir%/Cluster/Reports • Apply hotfixes per Windows version • Quorum matters.
I Know Mirroring. How’s This Different? • Enterprise Edition only. DB in full recovery mode only. • Not a 1:1 ratio of principals to mirrors. Per AG: • Up to 4 additional replicas, for a total of 5 • Up to 2 synchronous secondary replicas • Up to 2 automatic failover pairs • Multiple DBs in an AG will failover at the same time.*** • Easily span subnets. • Replicas usable for read-only access (w/o snapshots!) and backups. • More flexible routing – apps don’t need to know where replicas live.
Flexible Failover Policy Levels Damaged databases and suspect databases? Nope, not detected by any failure-condition level.
Monitoring Availability Groups - Native • SSMS (in demo) • DMVs: • sys.availability_* • sys.dm_hadr_* • XEvents(availability_replica_state_change, data_movement_suspend_resume) • Performance counters (SQLServer:Availability Replica/Database Replica) • sp_server_diagnostics(checks for health and diagnostic info)
Demo Comparison of Native Tooling to SQL Sentry for SQL Server Availability Groups A.K.A. “You get what you pay for”.
What about Cloud? • Windows Azure is a supported destination for secondaries. • Within Azure, can have sync replicas and automatic failover • SQL 2014: On-premise can have async replicas (requires VPN tunnel) • Can provide some serious benefits: • No servers to buy. Might be cheaper. • Geographically disbursed for better business continuity in the event of a natural / physical disaster. • Built-in management.
Additional Resources • Twitter and #SQLHelp • http://SQLCAT.com • http://SQLSkills.com • Community Sites: • http://SQLPASS.org • http://SQLServerCentral.com • http://SQLBlog.com • http://SQLTeam.com • http://SQLPerformance.com • http://dba.stackexchange.com • Brent OzarAvailability Groups Checklist http://i.brentozar.com/sql-server-2012-alwayson-availability-groups-setup-checklist.pdf • AG Troubleshooting and Monitoring Guidehttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlalwayson/archive/2013/06/06/alwayson-availability-groups-troubleshooting-and-monitoring-guide-published.aspx
SUMMARY • Based upon older database mirroring technologies & WSFC. • Provides continuous uptime, great recoverability, and usefulsecondaries. • Useful secondaries are usually read-only centric workloads and preventative maintenance. • The cloud is an option for secondaries. • Native tooling is adequate for small infrastructures.
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