Migrating a SQL Cluster across Domains

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In my recent visit to New Delhi, one of my good friend told me that he is planning for a SQL Cluster Migration from one domain to another. I was really concerned to hear that. In my previous engagements, we had similar requests and it’s very clear that “We don’t support WSFC migration from one domain to another”. Let’s see some key facts here:

Important: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/269196

Microsoft does not support moving an already installed and configured Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 failover cluster from one domain to another.

So what’s the way out?

- Script out the SQL User Account from Current SQL Cluster - https://support.microsoft.com/kb/246133

- Script out the Jobs from SQL Server.

- Take a backup of your all production user databases.

- Shutdown SQL Cluster

- Remove the Disk Dependency from SQL Cluster Resource

- Un-mount the LUN from Cluster/Nodes

- Destroy the Cluster

- De-active/Delete Computer Accounts listed in Active Directory Users & Computers for Windows Cluster and SQL Cluster.

- Complete your ADMT Migration.

- Configure New Windows and SQL Cluster with same names and temporary LUN for SQL Server.

- Restore all the logins generated from Step 1.

- Attach the old SQL LUN and set the dependency.

- Attach the databases.

- Restore all the Jobs generated from Step 2.

Now what if they have the SSRS also hosted on Cluster? Well we first need to clarify what’s the approach followed. Different organizations follow different approach such as one might go for a separate server hosting RS components or not so good approach of hosting RS components on Cluster nodes (also RS is not cluster aware). If they have SQL Enterprise, they might go for RS on each node on scaled-out mode (keep in mind that Cluster Nodes should not be configured with NLB – Not Supported), the approach should be:

Backup the Encryption Key from RS Configuration Wizard and that should be enough. You will follow normal SQL migration steps mentioned above and configure RS on new environment with existing databases. Restore the Key backup. That’s it!!