SQL Server 2012 – Upgrade Windows 2008 R2 Cluster to 2012 R2

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I need someone to help validate a strategy. I have a pair of Windows 2008 R2 server in a active/passive failover cluster with SQL Server 2012 installed.

I would like to upgrade the Windows OS to 2012 R2. I know that you cannot join a Windows 2012 R2 server to a 2008 R2 cluster. I thought about evicting a node and doing a fresh install of Windows 2012 R2 with cluster services, then detach the databases from SQL Server, destroy the 2008 R2 windows cluster, build the 2012 R2 cluster using the same name, IP, and SAN drives, then install SQL Server 2012 as a cluster using the same instance name and attaching the databases.

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Here are the steps that I followed to get a Windows 2008 R2 cluster hosting SQL Server to Windows 2012 R2.

In this example we have a 2 node Active / Passive cluster running Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise hosting SQL Server 2012 SP2 with CU6, this will work with any version of SQL Server.

Step 1: Document the following:

Drive letter mapping to shared storage on each node, NTFS Shared folders, IP Addresses for LAN and Heartbeat on each node, Name and IP address of the Windows Virtual Cluster Node, Name and IP address of the SQL Virtual Cluster Node, SQL version, patch level, and features installed, The location of the System Databases

Step 2: In Failover Cluster Manager – Evict the passive node, in this example Node 2 is the passive node.

Step 3: Rebuild Node 2 with Windows Server 2012 R2, using the same server name and IP address. Verify that Node 2 can see the shared storage, but do not make them online at this point.

Step 4: Stop the SQL Services on Node 1.

Step 5: Locate the folder containing the system databases and move them to a secure location. Make sure you get all the system database including TempDB, MSDB, report server, and distribution if you have replication.

Step 6: Shutdown Node 1.

Step 7: In Active Directory Users and Computers disable the accounts for the Windows Cluster Node and SQL Cluster Node.

Step 8: On Node 2, Create the Windows Failover Cluster using the previous Windows Cluster Name and IP. At this point the shared drives will be present, verify they have the correct drive letters.

Step 9: Install SQL Server as a cluster using the same name, IP address, include all features required.

Step 10: Patch SQL Server to the correct SP and CU.

Step 11: Stop the SQL Services using SQL Server Configuration Manager.

Step 12: Copy the system database files that you saved from Step 5 over top the system database files from this new installation.

Step 13: Start the SQL Services using SQL Server Configuration Manager, verify all databases and logins are available.

Step 14: Install Windows Server 2012 R2 on Node 1 and join the Windows Failover Cluster.

Step 15: Install SQL Server as a new node to the SQL Cluster, patch to correct level.

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Sql-server – SQL Server 2008 upgrade to SQL Server 2012 on a cluster

The Setup.exe will do the dirty work for you and take the passive node (currently upgrading node) away from being a possible owner of the SQL FCI's virtual network name (VNN). But if you want to ensure that this is happening (which I recommend, it's what I always do), then you can manually take the passive node you're about to upgrade off of the possible owners list for the FCI's VNN.

You could use the GUI (failover cluster admin) or PowerShell to accomplish this task. Below is an example of the latter:

Get-Cluster -Name "your cluster name" |
    Get-ClusterGroup -Name "SQL Server (your instance name)" | 
    Get-ClusterResource -Name "SQL Network Name (your FCI's VNN)" | 
    Set-ClusterOwnerNode -Owners "current active node"

All of the parameter strings there need to be specific to your environment. Note, calling Set-ClusterOwnerNode will set the list of possible owners for that cluster resource. Depending on how many nodes are in your cluster, that could contain more than one string (i.e. Set-ClusterOwnerNode -Owners "ACTIVENODE", "SOMEOTHERNODE", "ETC.").

Something to be knowledgeable about, there is a KB for a fix for a failover cluster instance upgrade from SQL Server 2008 [R2] to SQL Server 2012. I recommend you review it before the operation.

As for other tips and tricks, I would recommend you read this BOL reference on upgrading a SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance. There is a lot of great information in that article that should be considered.

SQL Server – Upgrading a Single SQL Server 2008 Failover Cluster Instance to SQL Server 2012

This is possible and we successfully completed an upgrade of a single failover cluster instance to SQL 2012 on a cluster with multiple SQL 2008 failover cluster instances.

Perform the upgrade of the instance on the two nodes not hosting the instance first (be sure to select the correct instance when asked as in the screenshot), then finally perform the upgrade on the node hosting the instance.

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Sql-server – SQL Server 2008 upgrade to SQL Server 2012 on a cluster

SQL Server – Upgrading a Single SQL Server 2008 Failover Cluster Instance to SQL Server 2012

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