"Tom" <ts@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:eONPO%23MRFHA.3560@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Hi!
>
> I am planiing to install SQL 2000 EE on Win 2003 Cluster:
>
> 2 node cluster, Windows 2003
> 1 SQL Server instance (active/passive)
>
> In order to do so I need some answers:
>
> 1. Should I install Win 2003 SP1 on both nodes (what are the
> experiences?, any problems?).

> 2. What is recommended practice: default instance or named instance?

> 3. I plan to Install hotfix SQL2000-KB815495-8.00.0818-ENU.exe
> Is there a newer hotfix that should be installed and where to find
> it?

> 4. Each node has 2GB of RAM so /3GB switch in boot.ini should be used?

> 5. MSDTC will have it's own group and disk resource, it's own IP and
> network name.
> Because of lack of disk space Quorum, MSDTC, and system databases
> (master, model, msdb)
> will be on different disk resources but on the same physical disk
> (mirrored-RAID 1) (the disk will have
> three volumes each forming its own disk resource). Quorum, MSDTC,
> and system databases
> are not heavily used so we should not have IO contention problems.
> Right?

> 6. Database, Log and Tempdb (with log) each on it's own disk (mirrored
> w. RAID 1). The question is:
> TempDb and it's log on the same drive - BOL mentions putting tempdb
> on the separate disk but
> says nothing about it's log.

> 7. Because the server is SQL Server dedicated we can leave Dynamic SQL
> Server memory and use
> "Boost SQL Server priority on Windows" option. Is this OK?
>

> All advices are welcome,
>
> Tom
>
>

"Tom" <ts@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:e1JxmLYRFHA.2788@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>
>
> Thanks a lot!
>
>
>
> You helped me, but now I have a few more questions:
>
>
>
> 1. What is the preferred order of installation for
>
> Windows 2003 SP1, MSCS, SQL, SQL SP3a.

>
> Is it OS, SP1, virtual server, SQL, SQL SP3a, or maybe
>
> Windows 2003 SP1 goes last, or ...???
>
>
>
> 2. To my question: <default or named instance?> Mike responded: <Named
> instance if you are going to be installing more later (subject to
> application compatibility)> Please explain application compatibility issue
> or provide link.
>

>
>
> 3. <SQL Server Failover Clustering> whitepaper and Rod say to put /GB
> switch into boot.ini file on system with 2GB of RAM. Mike said NO to /3GB
> switch. Please explain.
>

>
>
> 4. Although the server is going to be SQL Server dedicated I presume
> some vendor specific monitoring software will be installed along with IIS
> to
> support it. Mike's advice is NOT to use "Boost SQL Server priority on
> Windows" option.

>
>

>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Tom
>
>

"Geoff N. Hiten" wrote:

> Comments Inline
> "Tom" <ts@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:e1JxmLYRFHA.2788@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> >
> >
> > Thanks a lot!
> >
> >
> >
> > You helped me, but now I have a few more questions:
> >
> >
> >
> > 1. What is the preferred order of installation for
> >
> > Windows 2003 SP1, MSCS, SQL, SQL SP3a.
>
> Exactly this order. Document each step and any choices different from
> defaults. That will be the start of your disaster recovery procedure.
>
> >
> > Is it OS, SP1, virtual server, SQL, SQL SP3a, or maybe
> >
> > Windows 2003 SP1 goes last, or ...???
> >
> >
> >
> > 2. To my question: <default or named instance?> Mike responded: <Named
> > instance if you are going to be installing more later (subject to
> > application compatibility)> Please explain application compatibility issue
> > or provide link.
> >
> It is more an esthetic thing than a compatibility issue. Try explaining to
> your users why one instance has a name <DefaultName> while all the others
> look like <VirtualServerName\InstanceName>. It is easier if the names all
> look alike. If you have client connectivity issues, make sure to use MDAC
> version 2.7 or higher so it will recognize named instances.
> >
> >
> > 3. <SQL Server Failover Clustering> whitepaper and Rod say to put /GB
> > switch into boot.ini file on system with 2GB of RAM. Mike said NO to /3GB
> > switch. Please explain.
> >
> /3GB will have no effect. It only comes into play with systems over 2GB of
> physical RAM. Having said that, I strongly suggest you add more memory to
> your servers. SQL Enterprise Edition can use up to 32GB of RAM and SQL
> really likes as much as you can give it. I would take the boxes up to at
> least 8GB to start. Then I would use /3GB and /PAE in the boot.ini file.
> You can then use AWE memory for SQL.
> >
> >
> > 4. Although the server is going to be SQL Server dedicated I presume
> > some vendor specific monitoring software will be installed along with IIS
> > to
> > support it. Mike's advice is NOT to use "Boost SQL Server priority on
> > Windows" option.
> This is correct. It really won't buy you anything and it may cause starve
> the cluster software. That may lead to a false failover.>
> >
> >
> Geoff N. Hiten
> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
> Senior Database Administrator.
> >
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> >
> >
> > Tom
> >
> >
>
>