Now that the VCN is configured, it is time to start provisioning the VMs. In this example we are going to use Windows Server 2022 and SQL Server 2019. However, the steps described in this article are almost identical across all versions of Windows Server and SQL Server, so you shouldn’t have any issues regardless of which version of Windows or SQL Server you plan to use.

Before you begin, it is once again important to start with a plan. In this case you will want to plan your server names, IP addresses and their availability zone placement. As mentioned earlier, each cluster node and the file share witness must each reside in a different availability zone.

In the example configuration, we will deploy active-directory in an instance (DC1) that will also act as a file share witness.

AD1 - DC1 (10.0.0.100)
AD2 - SQL1 - (10.0.64.100, 10.0.64.101, 10.0.64.102)
AD3 - SQL2 - (10.0.128.100, 10.0.128.101, 10.0.128.102)

You may have noticed that each of the cluster nodes (SQL1, SQL2) have three IP addresses. The first address is the private IP address of the instance. The other two IP addresses will be added as secondary addresses on each instance. These IP addresses account for the core cluster IP address and the virtual IP address associated with the SQL Server FCI network name resource.

When we provision the cluster nodes we will use the base Windows Server 2022 images with no SQL Server software included. Instead we will download the SQL Server installation media and use a perpetual SQL Server license instead of the “pay-as-you-go” licensing available on the Marketplace.

The following sections illustrate the process of provisioning the three VMs used in this example.

Provision DC1 in FD1

When choosing an instance type you must size it properly for the workload. This is similar to what you would do if you were sizing a physical server to use on-premise, but the difference is that you can adjust the size easily if you over-provision, or under-provision the first time, or if your workload increases or decreases over time.

When specifying the instance details, make sure you choose the right VCN and the subnet for proper placement. On this first screen you also specify the static IP you want to associate with this instance.

Provision SQL1 in FD2

As discussed earlier, this example uses the base install of Windows Server 2022. SQL Server 2019 will be downloaded later and used for the SQL Server FCI installation.

Provision SQL2 in FD3

Adding Additional Volumes

Each server in the cluster requires at least one additional volume. These volumes are crucial for the storage needs of the SQL Server FCI and are replicated by SIOS DataKeeper.

Multiple Volumes
You can add multiple volumes to separate your data, logs, and backups.
Storage Types: Various storage types are available to suit different requirements.

Attachment Methods
There are multiple ways to attach storage to your servers.

Example Configuration
Below, we have included screen captures demonstrating one of the many possible storage configurations. This serves as a practical example to aid in understanding the setup process. This process should be completed on SQL1 and SQL2.

Create Block Volumes
First, create the block volumes in the right Availability domain for SQL1 and SQL2.

Attach Volumes
Now that the volumes have been created, you must attach them to the instances.

Key Points to Remember

The setup is flexible. You can configure one or more volumes based on your specific needs.
Consider different storage types and attachment methods available for your configuration.

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