SQL Server 2012 – How to Setup Instance Name in Failover Cluster Manager

availability-groupssql-server-2012

I have created 2 Virtual machines in azure and configured Windows Cluster using fail over feature. I have enabled the "AlwaysOn" feature in SQL Server Configuration Manager. But I do not anything under Roles section of Failover cluster manager window as shown below. In many tutorials I see SQL Server instance names under roles. How it comes? do we really need them?

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Best Answer

You have to actually create the Availability Groups first, then it will show up in FCM. You have basically finished the prerequisite steps to allow an Availability Group to be created...so let's go create one!

  • Sounds like you have an instance on each VM, create or put a database on one of the instances
  • Open SSMS and connect to the instance with the database
  • Expand AlwaysOn High Availability and right click Availability Groups
  • Start the New Availability Group Wizard
  • Give your new AG a name
  • Pick a Database to join to the AG...it needs to be in full recovery mode, and need to have had an initial backup (the wizard will identify these for you under status)
  • Pick how you want the other node to be joined to the AG (the wizard will backup, restore in norecovery mode, and then join on the other node or you can do it manually, or do it later)
  • Let the wizard create the AG

This is the very general outline, go to Brent Ozar's site and download the AlwaysOn Availability Groups Setup Checklist to really do things right!

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