Pre-Installing the Microsoft SQL Server Software on a Cluster Environment

By default, Commvault installs the Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition during the installation of the CommServe software or other server packages. For more information on scalability, performance, and other features supported by the standard edition, refer to the Microsoft documentation.

Based on your environment requirements, if you need to install the SQL Server before installing Commvault server packages, use the steps in this procedure to install the SQL Server manually.

Use this procedure to perform the following tasks:

• Install the SQL Server in the active node and passive nodes of a cluster group.

• Create the Commvault instance in the cluster group.

Before You Begin

• Configure Microsoft failover clustering between all the Windows nodes that are included in the Microsoft Failover Cluster Environment using a local administrator domain user account for all the Windows nodes. For more information, see Create a failover cluster.

• Obtain the installation package for the appropriate version of Microsoft SQL Server:

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Standard: Create an installation package by using the Download Manager. The installation package must include the Microsoft SQL Server and the necessary Commvault server packages, such as the CommServe or Workflow Engine. For instructions about creating the package, see Downloading Software for Windows Computers Using the Download Manager.

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2017 and 2019 Enterprise, Standard, and Express editions or higher: Contact Microsoft.

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition or higher: Contact Microsoft.

  • Microsoft SQL Management Studio 2016: Contact Microsoft.

• Review the following cluster environment requirements:

  • Verify that the latest service packs for the operating system are installed on all the nodes of the cluster group.

  • The latest Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server must be installed on all the nodes of the cluster group.

  • You will need to add a Group in Active Directory, and then add a user to that group that will have full access to both nodes of the cluster. For more information on the Microsoft SQL Server Group, see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345196.aspx. This account could be the same account that the cluster services run under, but must be added to a Group.

  • The cluster should be functional, and the cluster group to which you want to install Microsoft SQL Server should be configured with a disk resource. Review http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189910.aspx for the full set of prerequisites to installing Microsoft SQL Server on a cluster.

  • To avoid a failure of installation on Windows Server 2008 R2, install Windows Service Pack 1.

Installing the SQL Server and Creating the Commvault Instance

1. Log on to the active node of the cluster group as the local administrator domain user who also created the Microsoft Failover Cluster Environment.

2. From the installation package that was created using the Download Manager, run the following program:

   WinX64\ThirdParty\MSSQL\SQL_Standard_Edition\Setup.exe

   The SQL Server Installation Center wizard is displayed.

3. In the left-hand navigation area, click Installation. Then, on the right-hand navigation area, click New SQL Server failover cluster installation.

4. On the Product Key page, click Next. The product key is already provided.

5. On the License Terms page, select the I accept the license terms check box and then click Next.

6. On the Microsoft Update page, determine whether you want to enable the Microsoft Update feature, and then click Next.

   The Install Setup Files page is displayed, showing where the setup files are copied, and then the installation automatically starts.

7. On the Setup Role page, click Next to proceed with the SQL Server Feature Installation.

8. On the Feature Selection page, from the features to install, select Database Engine Services, and then click Next.

9. On the Instance Configuration page, complete the following steps:

   • Enter the SQL Server Network Name. This is the name of the CommServe client, which you will see in the CommCell Browser pane of the CommCell Console.

   • Click Named Instance and specify a name for the instance (for example, Commvault).

   • Click Next.

10. On the Cluster Resource Group page, accept the default options, and then click Next.

11. On the Cluster Disk Selection page, select the shared disks to be included in the SQL Server resource cluster group, and then click Next.

12. On the Cluster Network Configuration page, you should select, at a minimum, the IPv4 check box.

13. If you want the SQL Server to use a specific IP address, clear the DHCP check box for the IP Type you selected, and then specify the IP Address and Subnet Mask.

14. Click Next to continue.

15. On the Server Configuration page, complete the following steps:

    1. In the Account Name and Password boxes for each SQL Server service, enter the username and password of the local administrator domain user who also created the Microsoft Failover Cluster Environment.

       Note

       Make sure that the user account that you specify for the SQL Server service has permissions on the drive or parent folder where you plan to install the CommServe software.

    2. Click the Collation tab, and then set the collation of the TEMPDB to SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS.

    3. Click Next.

16. On the Database Engine Configuration page, complete the following steps in the Server Configuration tab:

    1. Click Mixed Mode (SQL Server authentication and Windows authentication).

    2. Enter and confirm the password for 'sa' SQL user in the Enter Password and Confirm password boxes.

    3. Click the Add Current User button.

       In the Data Directories and FILESTREAM tabs, accept the default values and then click Next.

17. On the Feature Configuration Rules page, check whether the rules ran successfully, and then click Next.

18. On the Cluster Installation Rules page, check if the rules ran successfully, and then click Next.

19. On the Ready to Install page, verify the features to be installed, and then click Install.

    The Installation Progress page is displayed.

20. On the Complete page, click Close.

    After the installation is complete on the active node, install the SQL Server on the passive nodes as follows:

    1. Log on to the passive node of the cluster group as the local administrator domain user who also created the Microsoft Failover Cluster Environment.

    2. From the installation package that was created using the Download Manager, run the following program:

       WinX64\ThirdParty\MSSQL\SQL_Standard_Edition\Setup.exe

       The SQL Server Installation Center wizard is displayed.

    3. In the left-hand navigation area, click Installation, then click Add node to a SQL Server failover cluster and complete the installation on the passive node.

Postinstallation Tasks

The following sections describe the tasks that you must perform to complete the Microsoft SQL Server installation:

• Apply latest SQL Server updates

  Install the latest cumulative updates and service packs provided by Microsoft. As a best practice, keep the SQL Server software up-to-date.

• Install the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) software

  Go to the Microsoft website to download SSMS. Install the SSMS software on the computer where the SQL Server software is installed.

• Tune the SQL Server memory usage

  The maximum memory used by the SQL Server should be 50% of the physical memory available in the computer.

  Use the following steps to tune the SQL Server memory usage for Commvault:

  1. On the CommServe computer, open the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.

  2. Right-click the server instance, and then click Properties.

  3. From the Server Properties dialog box, on the left pane, select the Memory page.

  4. In the Maximum server memory (in MB) box, specify 50% of the physical memory available in the computer.

  5. Click OK.

  

• Install the server package

  You can now install the CommServe software or the appropriate server package on the active node, and then on the passive nodes of the cluster.

Related Topics

Installing Server Packages in a Microsoft Failover Cluster Environment