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Are there domain-independent windows failover clusters for SQL Server?
Windows Server 2016 introduced a new concept known as domain-independent Windows failover clusters. In this article, we are going to explore this new concept and see how we can leverage this for SQL Server Always On Availability group configuration.
Do you need Active Directory to create failover cluster?
This requirement does not apply if you want to create an Active Directory-detached cluster in Windows Server 2012 R2. For more information, see Deploy an Active Directory-Detached Cluster. You must install the Failover Clustering feature on every server that you want to add as a failover cluster node. Start Server Manager.
How is a failover cluster different from a VCO?
A traditional failover cluster creates a cluster name object ( CNO) in the active directory once we create a cluster. Similarly, it also creates a virtual computer object (VCO) for the listener in the SQL Server Always On. We want to create a domain-independent cluster so it cannot create the CNO in the active directory.
How to configure SQL Server always on availability group?
As you know, we do not have an active directory configured for both nodes in my failover cluster. You should use the built-in service accounts (NT Service). As per best practice, you should grant volume maintenance task privilege for the SQL Server Database engine service, as shown below.
How to create a failover cluster for sqlag1?
Click on Create Cluster and add both SQLAG1, SQLAG2 nodes in the server list. Click Next and click on Yes to configure the cluster validation tests. Click on Run all tests (recommended). It shows you the list of cluster validation tests. It performs the cluster validations. Open the report and view for any issues.
How to create a failover cluster in Active Directory?
The minimum group membership required to complete the following procedure depends on whether you are creating the domain account and assigning it the required permissions in the domain, or whether you are only placing the account (created by someone else) into the local Administrators group on the servers that will be nodes in the failover cluster.
How to reset the password of a failover cluster?
The administrators of failover clusters might sometimes need to reset the password of the cluster name account. This action requires a specific permission, the Reset password permission.