Help: SQL Server

Sharing my knowlege about SQL Server Troubleshooting Skills

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Step by Step: Installing SQL Server 2012 RC 0

Posted by blakhani on November 30, 2011


For my upcoming internal session on contained database, I decided to install latest version of SQL Server 2012 (earlier known as SQL Server “Denali”) to show the demo. Here are the steps with screenshots to help someone who is doing the same. So, here we go!

I have done this on my Hyper-V machine so that I can always rollback. I have used SQL Server 2012 RC0 (Release Candidate 0) build. While writing this post, RC0 was the latest version available and can be downloaded from here

  • Copied the media to local machine, I prefer this to avoid any network hiccups which might cause my setup to fail. Now run Setup.exe

Choose Setup.exe

  • After clicking you should see “SQL Server Installation Center”. On left menu, click on “Installation” and then click on “New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation”

02_Setup

  • Once you click, you should see “Setup Support Rules” screen.

03_Setup

  • Hit OK and you should get “Product Key” Screen. Since I launched setup from Evaluation Media, it doesn’t populate Product Key. Hit Next.

04_Setup 

  • Next would be License Terms screen. Check the box “I accept the license terms.” and Next.

05_Setup

  • Next Screen is about auto patching of setup. Since I am using version which is not having any further updates, so I would uncheck the option and move forward. I would cover more about this feature later.

06_Setup

  • Hitting Next would install setup support files as shown below.

07_Setup

  • Next screen would just show the rules. Hit Next.

08_Setup

  • I have selected first option as I don’t play with SharePoint.

09_Setup

  • Normally I don’t click “Select All” but to get all screens, i have selected this. Notice the left menu getting changed based on your selection. Hit Next.

10_Setup

  • Hit Next

11_Setup 

12_Setup

  • Summary of disk space. Hit Next.

13_Setup

  • If you want to change service account, you can provide details and password. You can also specify “Startup Type”. Hit Next.

14_Setup

  • In this screen I am going with Mixed mode and given password. Also clicked on “Add Current User” to add logged on user as Sysadmin in SQL Server.

15_Setup

  • Please don’t ask question about SSAS. I have just hit next clicking on “Add Current User”.

16_Setup

  • In “Reporting Services Configuration” screen, just hit next.

17_Setup

  • Next screen should be “Distributed Replay Controller”. I have just hit next clicking on “Add Current User”. I would cover this feature in detail in some later blog.

18_Setup

  • In “Distributed Replay Client”. I have entered some name as I don’t know what to enter here. I should be able to change this later (I think so). At this point I am yet to read more about this feature.

19_Setup

  • If you want us to provide feedback about setup and some watson failures, you can check the box and in “Error Reporting” screen and then hit next. I always check this because I know this is really useful to make product better.

20_Setup

  • Next screen would do validation about installation/system and may block you if one or more rules are failed.

21_Setup

  • Finally, the summary of all options selected so far. Very important information is Configuration File Path which can be used if you want to have automation. Remember that we don’t store any password in that file so you are safe!

22_Setup

  • “Installation Progress” screen would show the actions being performed.

23_Setup

  • And here is the screen which you would all love to see.

25_Setup

That’s all for today. I would love to hear feedback from reader(s).

Hope this would help someone in the world!

Cheers,
Balmukund Lakhani
Twitter @blakhani

Posted in Denali, Images, Installation, Installation Guide, screen shot, Screenshot, SQL Server 2012, Step by Step | 14 Comments »

Virtual TechDays Slides on AlwaysOn and Good Practices

Posted by blakhani on September 29, 2011


Today I was fortunate enough to deliver two online sessions via virtual techdays. I have been asked to share the slide deck. So here I am uploading the presentation.

1. Tips for Successful SQL Server Deployment in Enterprise Environment.pptx
Abstract : SQL Server performs best when it is setup keeping all the best practices in consideration. In this session we will learn various deployment tricks and tips which will SQL Server to perform at its best all the time. Presenter will demonstrate few tricks which are not common but can improve performance dramatically.

2. High Availability – A Story from Past to Future.pptx

In this session we will go over various aspect of High Availability. This feature has moved a long way and have taken different shape during the years. We will understand the features past capabilities and how it has been enhanced with new versions ‘Denali’. Here, I have covered below topics
a. Log-Shipping
b. Database Mirroring
c. AlwaysOn features like Backup on Secondary, Readable Secondary, Multiple Secondary to name a few.

The recording and ppt would be officially available after some days on www.VirtualTechdays.com

Hope you would enjoy it!

Regards,
Balmukund Lakhani
Twitter @blakhani

Posted in AlwaysOn, Denali, SQL Server | Leave a Comment »

Help: AlwaysOn Setup Failing with Error! What should I do?

Posted by blakhani on September 26, 2011


While preparing for the Virtual TechDays Session, I received an email where AlwaysOn Setup was failing on Windows Server 2008 with below error message while attempting to use the create new availability group wizard in SQL Server Management Studio.

image

Here is the text for message for better search.
<Error>

The local node is not part of quorum and is therefore unable to process this operation. This may be due to one of the following reasons:

• The local node is not able to communicate with the WSFC cluster.

• No quorum set across the WSFC cluster.

</Error>

My research of pre-requisites revealed that we need below patch to be available on the operating to make it work.
1. KB 976097 ( Hotfix to add support for asymmetric storages to the Failover Cluster Management MMC snap-in for a failover cluster that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2)

– Supports SQL Server Failover Cluster Instances with AlwaysOn Availability Groups

2. KB 2494036 (A hotfix is available to let you configure a cluster node that does not have quorum votes in Windows Server 2008 and in Windows Server 2008 R2)

– Supports configuring optimal quorum with non-automatic failover targets

This is already documented in http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff878487(SQL.110).aspx

See you at Virtual TechDays!

Cheers,
Balmukund Lakhani
Twitter @blakhani

Posted in AlwaysOn, Denali | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »