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CLUSTERING

Clustering SQL Server 2019 Step by Step

written by Edwin Sarmiento December 31, 2024 6 comments

Problem
In a previous tip on Step-by-step Installation of SQL Server 2016 on a Windows Server 2016 Failover Cluster
how to install a SQL Server 2016 on a Windows Server 2016 failover cluster (WSFC). We are migrating to a S
failover cluster running on Windows Server 2019. How do I go about installing and configuring a SQL Server
Windows Server 2019?

Solution
To continue this series on Step-by-step Installation of SQL Server 2019 on a Windows Server 2019 Failo
at installing SQL Server 2019 on top of the existing Windows Server 2019 Failover Cluster (WSFC). In
to rename the shared storage and cluster network resources, both using the Failover Cluster Manager conso
tip will walk you through the installation of a SQL Server 2019 failover clustered instance (FCI) on the WSFC.

Installing a SQL Server 2019 Failover Clustered Instance (FCI)

The steps outlined below will install a default SQL Server 2019 FCI. Choose a server in the WSFC to initiate t

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Run setup.exe from the SQL Server 2019 installation media to launch SQL Server Installation Center
Installation link on the left-hand side.
Click the New SQL Server failover cluster installation link. This will run the SQL Server 2019 Setup w

Product Key

In the Product Key dialog box, enter the product key that came with your installation media and click

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License Terms

In the License Terms dialog box, click the I accept the license terms check box and click Next.

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Global Rules

In the Global Rules dialog box, validate that the checks return successful results and click Next.

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Microsoft Update

In the Microsoft Update dialog box, you have the option to include SQL Server product updates in the i
default, it searches for product updates thru the Microsoft Updates service online, on the assumption tha
to the Internet. In cases where your servers do not have access to the internet, you can manually downl
store them on a network shared folder. Installing a SQL Server FCI while slipstreaming the latest cumula
covered in the section Installing a SQL Server 2019 Failover Clustered Instance (FCI) with Slipstreamed

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Install Failover Cluster Rules

In the Install Failover Cluster Rules dialog box, validate that the checks return successful results. If the
warnings, make sure you fix them before proceeding with the installation. Click Next. Be aware that you
for Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) cluster verification warnings as a side effect of the storage spaces
described in this tip.

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Feature Selection

In the Feature Selection dialog box, select the following components: Database Engine Services
Connectivity. Click Next. Note that starting with SQL Server 2016, SQL Server Management Studio is n
installation media. You will have to download it separately if you want it installed on your servers which I
install the database engine on your servers and use a client workstation to manage them remotely.

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Feature Rules

In the Feature Rules dialog box, verify that all the rules have passed. If the rules returned a few warning
them before proceeding with the installation. Click Next.

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Instance Configuration

In the Instance Configuration dialog box, provide a value for the SQL Server Network Name. This is th
applications will use to connect to this server. This name will be created as a virtual computer object (VC
Be sure that the appropriate permissions are assigned to the cluster name object (CNO) associated with
in this Microsoft article.

A couple of things need highlighting in this section. By default, the instance name is used as the Instance ID
installation directories and registry keys for this specific instance of SQL Server. This is very useful when you
instances in a WSFC. It applies to both the default instance and named instances. For a default instance, the
instance ID would be MSSQLSERVER. To use a non-default instance ID, you should specify a value in the
Click Next.

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Cluster Resource Group Configuration

Check the resources available on your WSFC in the Cluster Resource Group dialog box. This tells you
Group will be created on your WSFC for the SQL Server FCI. To specify the SQL Server cluster resourc
either use the drop-down box to specify an existing group to use or type the name of a new group to cre

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Disk Selection Options

Select the available disk groups that are on the WSFC for the SQL Server FCI to use in the Cluster Dis
The list of disks displayed in this dialog box will depend on how you configured shared disk resources in
where you’ll see the value of renaming the shared disk resources as done in this tip. Click Next to contin

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Network Configuration Settings

In the Cluster Network Configuration dialog box, enter the IP address and subnet mask values that yo
use. Select the IPv4 checkbox under the IP Type column as you will be using a static IP address. Click
Network Name with this virtual IP address will be created as an entry in your DNS server. Again, this is w
value of renaming the cluster network resources as done in this tip.

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Server Configuration

In the Server Configuration dialog box, provide the credentials for the SQL Server service accounts in
tab. Make sure that both the SQL Server Agent and SQL Server Database Engine services have a
The WSFC will take care of stopping and starting these services. Select the checkbox Grant Perform V
Task privilege to SQL Server Database Engine Service. This enables Instant File Initialization for SQ
in this tip. Because this is a local permission assigned to an account, you need to explicitly do this on all
Server FCI. Click Next.

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Database Engine Configuration

In the Database Engine Configuration dialog box, under the Server Configuration tab,
▪ Select Windows authentication mode in the Authentication Mode section. If required, you can cha
installation is complete.

▪ Add the currently logged on user to be a part of the SQL Server administrators group by clicking the
button in the Specify SQL Server Administrators section. You can also add Active Directory domai
groups as necessary.

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The Data Directories tab is for specifying the location of the data files, the log files, and the backup files.

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The TempDB tab is where the number of tempdb data files, initial size and autogrowth settings of both data a
their corresponding locations are configured.

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NOTE: You also have the option to store your tempdb database files on a local disk in a WSFC. You can still
tempdb database on shared storage like the one provided in this example. Should you decide to store tempdb
will get prompted to make sure that all the nodes in the WSFC contain the same directory structure and that t
account has read/write permissions on those folders.

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New in SQL Server 2019 is the MaxDOP tab which introduces automatic recommendations for setting the MA
configuration option during the installation process. The recommended MAXDOP setting is based on the num
cores detected on the server. You can accept the default recommendations and make modifications once you
tests.

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Also new in SQL Server 2019 is the Memory tab which introduces the ability to set the minimum and maximu
during installation, just like how you would with sp_configure after installation.

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Click Next.

Feature Configuration Rules

Verify all checks are successful for the Feature Configuration Rules dialog box. Click Next.

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Ready to Install

Review the Ready to Install dialog box, verify that all configuration settings are correct. Click Install
installation.

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Complete

In the Complete dialog box, click Close. This concludes the installation of a SQL Server 2019 FCI.

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Installing a SQL Server 2019 Failover Clustered Instance (FCI) with Slipstr
You can choose to slipstream updates as part of the SQL Server 2019 FCI installation as described in the tip
Packs or Cumulative Updates on a SQL Server 2016 and higher Installation to reduce deployment time and e
steps outlined in the tip, this requires installing SQL Server from the command line. But unlike installing a stan
Server FCI requires the /Action=InstallFailoverCluster parameter. The example command below reference
\CentralFileServer\SQLServer2019CUs\CU5 shared folder to look for SQL Server 2019 updates.

setup.exe /Action=InstallFailoverCluster /UpdateEnabled=True /UpdateSource="\\CentralFil

The Product Updates section of the installation process will confirm whether the updates have been detected

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Proceed with the SQL Server installation process as outlined in the previous section Installing a SQL Server 2
Instance (FCI). The Ready to Install dialog box of the installation process will also confirm the SQL Server ve
installation. In this example, the installation media is using the RTM version of SQL Server 2019 (15.00.2000.
contains SQL Server 2019 CU 5 (15.0.4043.0) as shown in the Update Version: field.

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At the completion of a successful installation and configuration of the node, you now have a fully functional SQ
validate, open the Failover Cluster Manager console and click on SQL Server (<NAME>) under Roles
dependencies are online.

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Although you have a fully functioning SQL Server 2019 FCI, it is not highly availability yet because the SQL S
installed on one of the nodes in the WSFC. To make it highly available, you still have to add the second node
SQL Server FCI.

In the next tip in this series, you will add the second node in the SQL Server FCI and test client application co

Next Steps
▪ Review the previous tips on Step-by-step Installation of SQL Server 2016 on a Windows Server 2016 Fa
Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 to see the difference in the setup experience between a SQL Server 2016 Failo
on a Windows Server 2016 and a SQL Server 2019 Failover Clustered Instance on a Windows Server 2

▪ Read Part 1 and Part 2 of the Step-by-step Installation of SQL Server 2019 on a Windows Server 2019 F

▪ Read more on the following topics:

▪ Installing, Configuring and Managing Windows Server Failover Cluster using PowerShell Part 1

▪ Validating a Windows Cluster Prior to Installing SQL Server 2014

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▪ What’s new in Failover Clustering: What’s new in Windows Server 2019

Edwin Sarmiento
Edwin M. Sarmiento is the Managing Director of 15C, a consulting and training company that specializes on
implementing and supporting SQL Server infrastructures. He is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP and Microsoft
Ottawa, Canada specializing in high availability, disaster recovery and system infrastructures running on the M
technology stack ranging from Active Directory to SharePoint and anything in between. He is very passionate
has interests in music, professional and organizational development, and leadership and management matter
databases. Edwin lives up to his primary mission statement: "To help people and organizations grow and dev
MSSQLTips Awards: Champion Award (100+ tips) - 2017 | Author of the Year Contender - 2020, 2017
previous post
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6 comments

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Edwin M Sarmiento March 5, 2024 - 11:39 am

When the installation failed, what did the setup log files report?
Reply

Shanky Tyagi March 5, 2024 - 12:45 am

Hi Sir,
Indeed, I’ve furnished the correct credentials. All RPC services are functioning properly, and network connect
resolution, are configured appropriately. However, the RPC issue persists.
Best regards,
Shanky
Reply

Edwin M Sarmiento March 1, 2024 - 12:13 pm

Shanky,
A complex system like a SQL Server failover clustered instance is very difficult to troubleshoot without having
logs.
And I would not recommend posting the contents of the log in a public website due to potential security issues
Step #14 is about providing credentials for your SQL Server and SQL Server Agent services. Did you provide
Reply

Shanky Tyagi March 1, 2024 - 9:33 am

Hi there,
Sir, I’m getting
“[Error Message]

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The RPC server is unavailable.

[Details]
Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Agent.InputValidationException: The RPC server is unavailable.”
on the 14th step. I was tried everything but didn’t get luck.
Could you please help me out.
Reply

bass_player March 2, 2021 - 3:03 pm

Have you had a chance to look at this?
https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/2592/fix-sql-server-agent-on-windows-failover-cluster/
Reply

Amit SINGH March 2, 2021 - 2:47 pm

I have done the exact steps but facing so many errors while failing over.
1.SQL agent failed to start but it’s running in sql
2.Ethernet adapter partioned can’t connect
Reply
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