Adding a node to a SQL Server 2008 R2 Failover Cluster using Server 2008 R2

Scenario

You’ve successfully installed and configured a SAN, a Failover Cluster and an instance of SQL Server 2008 R2 on one node. Now you need add another node to this cluster so the SQL Server instance can failover.

Solution

  1. From the setup menu, select Installation > Add node to a SQL Server failover cluster:

  2. Click OK after the first set of checks:

  3. Enter a product key or leave it on Evaluation if you’re in a lab like me:
  4. Accept the license terms:
  5. Click Install to start the SQL Server setup:
  6. Click Next after more checks have completed:
  7. Select the SQL Server instance:
  8. Enter the passwords for your Domain Service  Accounts:
  9. Select your Error Reporting preference:
  10. More checks, yay!
  11. Review your selections and click Install:
  12. Setup complete:

The Dependency Report looks fine:

Testing a Failover

  1. Navigate to Failover Cluster Manager > [Clustername] > Services and applications.
  2. Right-click SQL Server [Instance name] > Move this service or application to another node > Move to node [node name]:
  3. Confirm the Move action:
  4. Check the Current Owner has changed to the new node: