Exchange & MS SQL high availability

Question

Could anyone suggest how high availability can be achieved for MS exchange and for MS SQL server between two Data centres when one server each is located in a data centre? Users from a siteA connected to SQL Server in DC1 should be able to seemlessly connect to SQL server in DC2 in case of an outage in DC1. Sites have P2P links between them in a triangle i.e. SiteA connects to DC1 and DC2. DC1 connects to DC2 running OSPF.

I am not a windows guy but I suppose we can setup a SQL cluster between the servers in two different DCs? can I use any 3rd party solution to achieve this?

Answer 1

For SQL Server, if you have a capable storage solution you can implement a stretch (or geo) cluster. It will often require additional storage licencing - I've used HP CLX before, which is an extension.

Database mirroring may be more appropriate - it's done on a database by database basis, whereas a clustered instance fails over ALL the databases together.

Clustering isn't something you implement on a whim, and stretch clustering is more involved than clustering. You'll need a lot of planning, research, and testing - outside help might be wise.

Stretch clusters: http://blogs.technet.com/b/rob/archive/2008/11/02/sql-server-2005-multi-site-clustering-with-windows-server-2008.aspx

Answer 2

but I suppose we can setup a SQL cluster between the servers in two different DCs?

Ah, no. Mirroring is the solution, I wuold say.

can I use any 3rd party solution to achieve this?

Yes, you CAN. But it would be throwing out money as you dont need any third party ools to do so.

I am not a windows guy

Hire someone who knows his way around windows, sql and exchange.