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DB mirroring - Manual failover with witness

Question
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Hi,
Scenario: Server 1 : Principal Server 2 : Mirror Server 3 : Witness
Mode: High-Performance (synchronous)
As I understand, witness is used for automatic failover. However, in our scenario we do not want that to happen (due to some network restrictions)
If witness is installed, both automatic failover is possible (initiated by witness itself) and manual failover (done from principal/mirror using SSMS or T-SQL). Is there a way to do ONLY manual failover using witness? i.e. Can we prevent automatic failover to happen even when witness is configured? According to me, this is not possible.
Can someone please help clarify this?
Thanks, Regards, Mandar0Hi,
Scenario: Server 1 : Principal Server 2 : Mirror Server 3 : Witness
Mode: High-Performance (synchronous)
Qs. 1 - As I understand, witness is used for automatic failover. However, in our scenario we do not want that to happen (due to some network restrictions)
If witness is installed, both automatic failover is possible (initiated by witness itself) and manual failover (done from principal/mirror using SSMS or T-SQL). Is there a way to do ONLY manual failover using witness? i.e. Can we prevent automatic failover to happen even when witness is configured? According to me, this is not possible.
Can someone please help clarify this?
Thanks, Regards, MandarFriday, February 14, 2014 6:17 AM
Answers
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Yes, thats correct, you need to turn off the witness.
- Marked as answer by MandarAlawani Monday, February 17, 2014 12:21 AM
Friday, February 14, 2014 10:23 AM
All replies
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- Proposed as answer by Shanky_621MVP Friday, February 14, 2014 9:21 AM
Friday, February 14, 2014 6:42 AM -
As Lathess said, you don't have to use witness server if you really don't want to do automatic failover. You can use Mirroring Monitor to help you monitor you mirroring condition. You can find the detail below :
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms365786.aspx
Friday, February 14, 2014 7:01 AM -
If you dont want automatic failover why waste one server making it as witness.YOu can turn it off.Just refer to below link for removing witness
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms366340(v=sql.105).aspx
PS:If you switch from high-safety mode with automatic failover to high-performance mode, the Witness field is automatically cleared.
Please mark this reply as the answer or vote as helpful, as appropriate, to make it useful for other readers
- Edited by Shanky_621MVP Friday, February 14, 2014 9:22 AM
Friday, February 14, 2014 9:22 AM -
Hi Latheesh,
Thanks.
So, this confirms my understanding, right?
Is there a way to do ONLY manual failover using witness? i.e. Can we prevent automatic failover to happen even when witness is configured? According to me, this is not possible.
Regards,
MandarFriday, February 14, 2014 10:12 AM -
Yes, thats correct, you need to turn off the witness.
- Marked as answer by MandarAlawani Monday, February 17, 2014 12:21 AM
Friday, February 14, 2014 10:23 AM