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Albatross1
Contributor
Contributor

Protecting SQL Server with Heartbeat

I am running SQL Server on a separate VM from vCenter Server.  I am protecting vCenter Server with heartbeat.

Is it possible to protect SQL Server with heartbeat when SQL Server is on a separate VM from vCenter?

If it is possible is it desirable to do so?

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AltonYu
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

yes, this is a common configuration. Just install another instance of vCenter Server Heartbeat on the SQL servers as well.

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Albatross1
Contributor
Contributor

OK thanks for the input. Since SQL Server has its own tools for providing redundancy and failover, if I have the choice should I use a clustered SQL database or Heartbeat for my SQL Server VM and why?

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AltonYu
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

SQL clustering requires two active SQL Server instances, doubling the SQL Server license expense.  Heartbeat clusters are active/passive and fall under MS's DR licensing. Most forms of SQL failover require manual intervention, synchronous replication, and/or a witness server, while Heartbeat requires only the simple pair.


Heartbeat provides more detailed monitoring of the SQL Server itself, not just an individual database's availability.  An unhealthy instance is nearly as bad as an unavailable one.

Heartbeat also offers coordinate failover of the SQL/vCenter set between datacenters so the entire application can fail over together.