Add or Remove a node in SQLServer 2005 Failover Cluster

You need to follow the steps in case of adding or removing a node in a cluster or recover a failed node in a failover cluster environment. In case of node1 failure, the SQL Server failover cluster fails over to node2. Use Cluster administrator to evict node from cluster.

You may receive following error while adding or removing a node to the existing cluster.

Setup failed to start on the remote machine. Check the Task scheduler event log on the remote machine.

Error message from event log:-

"SQL Server Remote Setup .job" (setup.exe) 5/20/2011 10:15:00 PM ** ERROR **
Unable to start task.
The specific error is:
0×80070005: Access is denied.

Solution: You might be connected via Remote Desktop and you may have some active remote desktop session. Please note that you must close all your RDP sessions before proceeding to installation.

To add or remove a node you must be a local administration on all the nodes of the failover cluster.

Step 1. Add a node to the Cluster
• Assign the quorum
• Run Add node wizard in Custer administrator from new node
• Provide Cluster service account password to add the node
• On the New Node assign the clustered drives used by SQLServer and verify the node recognizes the cluster drives
• The drive where you install SQLServer should have same driver letter as other nodes

Step 2. Add or remove a node in SQL Server 2005 Cluster
• Login to the surviving Node or active node of the SQLServer Cluster
• Click Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel
• Select the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and click change
• The SQL Server 2005 Installation Wizard starts
• On the Component Selection page, select the SQL Server 2005 instance name to change and click next
• On Feature Maintenance page select a Database Engine component to change and click next
• SQL Server 2005 System Configuration Checker starts
• On the Microsoft SQL 2005 Welcome screen click next
• The System Configuration Checker scans the existing configuration on the computer
• Review the warnings and error messages, correct the errors as needed and click next
• On the Change or Remove Instance page, click Maintain the Virtual Server.
• On the Cluster Node Configuration page select the node from the available nodes list and click add . To remove a node from the failover cluster, select the node and click remove.
• In Remote Account Information, provide the password of the user currently logged in(This user should be a local admin on all the nodes) and click next
• Enter the service account username/password for each listed service and click next.
• On Error and Usage Report page, do not select anything and click next
• On the Ready to Install page, click install
• On the Completing the Microsoft SQL Server Installation Wizard page, you can review the summary log by clicking on the link provided. To exit from Installation wizard click Finish.

Step 3.Install the Workstation Components and Service packs
• Run the setup.exe from Installation CD or software dump
• Install only workstation components (note that these are not part of the cluster)
• All nodes in a failover cluster must be at same service pack version, install the service packs as same as servicing node or active node.

Regards,
Satishbabu Gunukula
http://www.sqlserver-expert.com