Step By Step Guide to configuring SQL 2012 Availability Groups on Windows Server 2012.

Summary
This guide is a step by step guide to configure the new SQL 2012 Availability Groups for SQL 2012. It goes through adding the Clustering Feature, configuring the Cluster, Enabling the Always On feature on the SQL Instance and creating an SQL Availability Group.

Author

Vlad Catrinescu
Vlad is a SharePoint Consultant specializing in analyzing and deploying your perfect SharePoint Infrastructure. He also specializes into designing and implementing High Availability and Disaster Recovery SharePoint solutions as well as automating everything with the magic of PowerShell. Vlad is also known in the community for founding the biggest and most active SharePoint Community that you can find at www.SharePoint-Community.net . Furthermore, he also blogs on his own blog at www.absolute-sharepoint.com. If you ever have any questions, want to connect, or just wanna say thanks, dont hesitate to add me on twitter @vladcatrinescu or add me on LinkedIn at the following link: http://www.linkedin.com/in/vladcatrinescu

Add the Failover Clustering feature on BOTH Servers!

When the installation is done on both servers, run the Failover Cluster Manager as a Domain Admin, or as an account who can create Computers in the active directory.

Top Right Corner, Click on Validate a Configuration

Add the servers in the Cluster.

Run all Tests

Click Next and Confirm.

You might have some warnings, but as long as it says Testing completed Succesfully you are fine. Click on Finish, and a new Window will open.

Enter the Cluster name and IP

Click Next until it finishes!

Top left corner, Right Click on Cluster Name, More Actions and Configure Cluster Quorum Settings.

Select Advanced.

All Nodes

Leave CheckBox Checked.

Configure a file share witness.

Prepare your Share. Make sure the ClusterAccount you just created, has Full Control on it.

Enter the Network Path

Click Next until it ends.

Now, on BOTH servers, open SQL Server Configuration Manager and right click on the instance properties.

In the AlwaysOn High Availibity Tab, check the Enable AlwaysOn Availability Group checkbox.

Restart the service.

After you made the past few steps on both servers, Open SQL management studio and connect to your primary node. In AlwaysOn High Availability, right click and do the New Availability Group Wizzard.

Enter the Availability Group Name. and Click next.

Click the Add Replica Button, and then check both of them for Automatic Failover.

Open the Listener Tab, and create your Listener.

Click Next

On the Primary Server, create a File Share, and Add the SQL Engine account with Read/Write Permissions.

In the Select Data Synchronization, enter the network path to that Share and click Next.

Click next until the end, and you have configured SQL 2012 Availability Groups!