sql server clustering: I seem to have forgotten what they call active/active cluster .. Is it
multi-instance cluster or multi-node cluster or something else ?

"multi-instance"

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Tom

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Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA, MCITP, MCTS
SQL Server MVP
Toronto, ON Canada
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I seem to have forgotten what they call active/active cluster .. Is it
multi-instance cluster or multi-node cluster or something else ?

Microsofts own definition on Active/Active :
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/8846a72b-0882-4a24-8eee-a768e52925281033.mspx?mfr=true
(scroll down to the "Q. What is active/active verses active/passive?")



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Yes, but that is at the server level. When you are talking about SQL Server
instances where you can install up to 16 instances for SS2K and 25
(clustered EE, 16 SE) to 50 instances (non-clustered EE) for SS2K5, one and
two is just not going to cut it. Single-instanced and multi-instanced seems
more appropriate.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2000/maintain/failclus.mspx

The problem was that SS 7.0 did not support instancing; however, for
failover clustering, the binaries resided on the shared volumes. So, since
NT 4 only supported 2-node clusters, it made sense to speak of
Active/Passive or Active/Active clustering configurations. You either had
one or two sets of binaries.

With SS2K, however, you have the ability to install as many instances as you
like (although only up to 16 sets are supported) because 1) the binaries are
installed on the local drives of each clustered node and 2) the instance
employs a naming convention that not only distinguishes the installation,
but also separates the binaries on disk as well as in the registry keys.

Since the number of installations "instances" is independent of the number
of cluster nodes, the terminology needed to change.

Sincerely,


Anthony Thomas




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Not Really, from the link/article from my original post :

"terms used to describe how applications are deployed"

and

"Active/Active means that different instances of the same application can be
running concurrently on different cluster nodes"




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Yes, I fully agree.


rgds,
Edwin