Service Pack installation on SQL Server cluster

Question

Hi Team,

Which is the best method to install Service Pack and other updates (Security and so on)on below environments?

1. Active/Passive and Active/Active.

2.Logshipping.

3.Db Mirroring

4.Replication

Answer 1

If the appropriate services are running on each node, you do not have to run the installation on the passive nodes.  The installer will update binaries  that are node-specific (client tools, SSIS, etc) on the passive nodes first, before completing the cluster-aware components (SQL Services, SSAS) and local components on the active node.

http://www.sqlcoffee.com/Tips0007.htm

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Best Regards, Uri Dimant SQL Server MVP http://dimantdatabasesolutions.blogspot.com/ http://sqlblog.com/blogs/uri_dimant/

Answer 2

Hello,

It also depends which version of SQL Server is being patched. IIRC SQL Server 2005 used windows tasks to push the updates to all other nodes first before patching the current node, whereas in 2008+ the patch must be manually installed on all nodes.

In the single instance multi-node environment the first node to be patched is the one not actively servicing requests. If the patch is successful, move the resource group over to the patched node and then patch the node that is now no longer servicing requests.

In a multi-instance multi-node environment I like to make a plan of attack. The nodes should still be patched one at a time, but my personal preference is to (if possible) keep from moving any resources onto the patched nodes until the majority of the nodes (or depending on your quorum model) as patched. This keeps from having the minority of the nodes patched and having some of the instances running databases that may have had a physical file format change or is not compatible with the new version. Remember to take the unpatched nodes out of the possible owner list for the instances and nodes that have already been patched.

-Sean

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Sean Gallardy, MCC | Blog

Answer 3

Check the article below, it seems all the information are there in readme file of service pack

http://www.sql-server-citation.com/2009/04/patching-ms-sql-server-cluster.html

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