MSDTC and SQL cluster

[Piotr]

I’m going to set up first SQL fail over cluster with two nodes and iSCSI
storage using Windows Server 2008EE and SQL Server 2008.

I’m not quite sure what I should do with MSDTC. Do I have to install this or
not? I found a lot of documents related to Windows Server 2003 but nothing
related to Windows Server 2008. So if I have to use MSDTC how I should
configure it?

Could you help me please?

[Tim Walsh]

What are you going to use the cluster for? MSDTC is not a requirement for a
clustered environment, if you don't need it, don't install it.

"Piotr" <Piotr@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6DF248DC-5399-4853-9B23-90BDB9E7DE67@microsoft.com...
> I'm going to set up first SQL fail over cluster with two nodes and iSCSI
> storage using Windows Server 2008EE and SQL Server 2008.
>
> I'm not quite sure what I should do with MSDTC. Do I have to install this
> or
> not? I found a lot of documents related to Windows Server 2003 but nothing
> related to Windows Server 2008. So if I have to use MSDTC how I should
> configure it?
>
> Could you help me please?
>

[Piotr]

Many thanks for your reply.

It is for providing SQL server high availability for IIS server. Does it
mean I don’t need to install it?

[Tim Walsh]

I'm not a SQL Admin, so I spoke to a couple of my friends who are. They tell
me that for a SQL cluster MSDTC needs to be installed on the cluster for
things to work correctly. They also tell me to follow the Microsoft White
Papers when you set them up, that their are differences to how to configure
SQL 2000, and SQL 2005 on a cluster with MSDTC.


"Piotr" <Piotr@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E530F851-6CB4-4E93-B0E8-DF93C9FEC2E6@microsoft.com...
> Many thanks for your reply.
>
> It is for providing SQL server high availability for IIS server. Does it
> mean I don't need to install it?
>

[Piotr]

Thanks for this info.

It is not good news for me. The problem is I found a lot of documents which
explain how to do this on Windows Server 2003 and SQL 2005 but I’m going to
use Cluster on Windows Server 2008 and SQL 2008. Any advice please?

[Ryan Sokolowski [MVP]]

Yes, you'll want to cluster MSDTC for the purposes of clustered SQL. Don't
be intimidated just because the documentation says Windows Server 2003 or
SQL 2005 or whatever. The concepts are the same and haven't changed so
radically that you can't get this set up and working properly. In fact, in
Windows Server 2008, it's considerably easier to accomplish.

In your cluster, right-click Services and Applications, and choose
"Configure a Service or Application"
Click "Next"
Select Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC) and click "Next"
Give it a Name (or accept the auto-generated name) and enter an IP address
within the IP address range of the appropriate network.
Click "Next"
Select the Storage Volume to use for the MS DTC resource and Click "Next"
Click "Next" one more time to confirm the creation of your highly available
MS DTC resource.

So much easier than the previous procedures...give it a try and let us
know - you can do it!

--
Ryan Sokolowski
MVP - Clustering
MCT, MCITP x3, MCTS x7, MCSE x2, CCNA, CCDA, BCFP


"Piotr" <Piotr@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D9BB1AFC-BF7F-4627-969A-E3657354125B@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for this info.
>
> It is not good news for me. The problem is I found a lot of documents
> which
> explain how to do this on Windows Server 2003 and SQL 2005 but I’m going
> to
> use Cluster on Windows Server 2008 and SQL 2008. Any advice please?
>

[Piotr]

thanks for this