Before Installing Failover Clustering

Before you install a Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 failover cluster, you must select the operating system on which your computer will run. You can use Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0, Enterprise Edition, Microsoft Windows® 2000 Advanced Server, or Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server. You also must install Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS).

Preinstallation Checklist

Before you begin the installation process, verify that:

• There is no IRQ sharing between network interface cards (NICs) and drive/array (SCSI) controllers. Although some hardware may support this sharing, it is not recommended.
  
  
• Your hardware is listed on the Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List.

  For a complete list of supported hardware, see the Hardware Compatibility List at the Microsoft Web site.

  The hardware system must appear under the category of cluster. Individual cluster components added together do not constitute an approved system. Only systems purchased as a cluster solution and listed in the cluster group are approved. When checking the list, specify cluster as the category. All other categories are for OEM use.

• MSCS has been installed completely on at least one node before you run Windows NT 4.0, Enterprise Edition or Windows 2000 Advanced Server or Windows 2000 Datacenter Server simultaneously on all nodes.

  When using MSCS, you must make certain that one node is in control of the shared SCSI bus prior to the other node(s) coming online. Failure to do this can cause application failover to go into an online pending state. As a result, the cluster either fails on the other node or fails totally. However, if your hardware manufacturer has a proprietary installation process, follow the hardware manufacturer instructions.

• WINS is installed according to the following article in the Product Support Services Microsoft Web site:

  Q258750 Recommended Private "Heartbeat" Configuration on Cluster Server

• The disk drive letters for the cluster-capable disks are the same on both servers.
  
  
• You have disabled NetBIOS for all private network cards before beginning SQL Server Setup.
  
  
• You have cleared the system logs in all nodes and viewed the system logs again. Ensure that the logs are free of any error messages before continuing.