This is the first checklist in the process – run through it as soon as you are ready to form the cluster, or prior to installing SQL Server in a standalone-configuration.
Server Cluster Pre-Installation Checklist
| Check | Pass | Fail |
| Verify cluster hardware configuration on Windows Catalog/HCL | ||
| Complete each of the following documents for the cluster and nodes in the cluster:– Cluster Config.doc– Cluster Node Config.doc– Disk Configuration.doc– SQL Cluster Config.doc | ||
| All to-be cluster nodes are attached to the same domain | ||
| Domain contains at least 2 Domain Controllers | ||
| Domain contains at least 2 DNS servers that support dynamic updates and configured as Global Catalog Servers | ||
| Domain Controllers are configured with at least 2 DNS servers – If DC’s are also DNS, each should point to itself for primary, and the other for secondary resolution | ||
| Minimum of two networks on different subnets configured | ||
| Private LAN isolated from all network infrastructure other than cluster nodes (including DC’s, WINS servers, DHCP servrs, etc.) | ||
| Verify ALL to-be cluster networks configured on separate subnets, distinct from all other to-be cluster networks | ||
| Public Network(s) configured to have binding priority over Private Network(s) on all nodes | ||
| Only TCP/IP configured on the private network(s); all other options unchecked | ||
| NetBIOS disabled on Private Network(s) (if not a MNS cluster) | ||
| Private network(s) do NOT contain DNS, WINS, or Gateway definitions | ||
| Private network(s) NOT configured to register with DNS | ||
| Network cards (public and private) set to a static speed and duplex on all nodes and NICs | ||
| All NICs configured with same communication settings (speed, duplex, flow control, media type) | ||
| Verify Public networks configured for Maximum Throughput of Network Applications | ||
| All public NICs configured with at least 2 DNS servers | ||
| WINDOWS 2000 ONLY – DHCP Media Sense Disabled | ||
| Disable network task offloads if possible | ||
| Verify 8.3 naming structure enabled | ||
| Verify all server node names are all UPPERCASE | ||
| No errors from hardware specific monitoring tools provided by the vendor on all nodes | ||
| Ping the local loopback address 127.0.0.1 on each node | ||
| Ping the individual IP address of each network adapter on all nodes from each other node | ||
| Ping the individual IP address of each network adapter on each node from a machine not in the cluster | ||
| Ping the name of each individual node from each node of the cluster | ||
| Ping the name of each individual node from a machine not in the cluster | ||
| Verify that all required services are running and configured for boot on all nodes | ||
| Verify cluster disks can be seen by all nodes (power each server on one at a time) | ||
| Verify the cluster disks are Basic disks, MBR, and formatted with NTFS. | ||
| Verify all disks are properly aligned and have correct offset | ||
| Ensure all the latest OS updates, security patches, and related hotfixes have been installed | ||
| Ensure local admin account has non-blank password | ||
| Verify staggered boot delay for all cluster nodes | ||
| Verify processor scheduling for background services, memory usage for programs, visual effects off | ||
| Verify appropriate page file configuration | ||
| Verify unnecessary services disabled | ||
| MSDTC service configured for network access (if MSDTC install) | ||
| Run syscomparre.exe to verify node matches (if available) | ||
| Ran ClusDiag.exe to verify node configurations | ||
| Before continuing, power down all nodes but the first node to be installed on | ||
| Turn off screen saver | ||
| Update allowed size of all event logs (Application, Security, and System) |
Chad is an Architect, Administrator, and Developer with technologies such as Sql Server (and related technologies), .NET, Windows Server, and the Microsoft Clustering stack (MSCS, NLB, HPC). After nearly 5 years at Microsoft in a variety of roles related to pushing the limits of the Microsoft stack in many of the largest, most complex Sql Server installations in the world, he now provides consulting to many different customers and clients ranging from startup to Fortune 50. Most recently he has been spending much of his time as an architect at SpruceMedia, Inc., a startup firm in the Facebook/Social Advertising space (http://sprucemedia.com) and resides in the Redmond, WA area where he also spends a significant amount of time writing, talking, presenting and blogging about the data-related technologies on the Microsoft stack. Chad regularly posts Sql Server related content, tools, and advice with the MSSQLTips team and on stackoverflow.com at http://stackoverflow.com/users/169012/chadhoc. Chad can be contacted via email at chad dot boyd dot tips at gmail dot com.