I need to update firmware on the backend storage used by our Active/Passive SQL Server 2005 Cluster. The first step in the process states that all I/O to the disks should be stopped. Per that, I need to take the the SQL Server cluster offline AND the cluster group; however, I then need to use one of the servers that participates in the cluster to perform the upgrade on the storage array. Using the process (which doesn't account for having to use one of clustered servers to perform updates) outlined at http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1550288&SiteID=1 as a basis, below is my best guess regarding what I will need to do:
Shutdown:
1. Backup all of your databases prior to the outage and ensure they are in a safe place (NOT on the disk drives in the cluster)
2. Take the SQL Server group OFFLINE. This will cleanly shutdown the SQL Server and it will remain offline when you power the machine back on.
3. Once SQL Server is offline, power off the node which does NOT have the cluster resource currently running on it
4. Save the node which is running the cluster group for last - make a note of this machine as it will be the first one you power back on. MY ADDITION: Before powering it down, set the cluster service to manual so that when you restart the server to perform the storage array maintenance, the cluster will not be running - and likewise not generating I/O against the disk array.
MY ADDITION: 5. Restart the server from step 4. Takes the cluster offline "cleanly" and brings the server back on line so that the storage array maintenance can be performed.
6. Update the firmware on the storage array. After that is complete, set the cluster service back to "Automatic".
Start up:
1. Restart the server. Per the previous steps, the server to be restarted will be the server that last hosted the cluster group and the one used to update the firmware on the storage array.
2. RDP into the node, open cluster administrator, and verify that the cluster came back online successfully and everything looks clean
3. Power on the second node.
4. Failover the cluster group across each node in the cluster and validate that everything looks OK
5. Bring your SQL Server groups back online
6. Validate that everything is operational
Is there a better way to do this or official documentation for the process?
Thanks.