Configuring SQL Server 2012 Always On Lab- Part 2

In my last article I talked about setting a lab environment for a SQL Server 2012 AlwaysOn Availability Group.

This is the second of a 4 part series that covers the entire process.

1. Initial Setup
   
2. Domain Setup
   
3. Cluster (Shared nothing) Setup
   
4. SQL Install
   

I begin this process by installing the following VM’s (all with the GUI and updated with latest patches via Windows Update) on my laptop:

• 1 x Domain Controller with Windows Server 2012R2
  
• 3 x SQL 2012 Servers (Primary, Secondary and Readable Replica) with Windows Server 2012R2
  
• 1 x Windows 8.1 Client with SMS (Central Management Server)
  

Things have changed with Windows Server 2012 regarding how you promote a server to a domain controller (DC) or add the role. In the past you could use the command dcpromo and it would set up everything. When you try doing that now, you will get this error message:

To add the Active Directory (AD) role, you will need to use Server Manager and click on Add roles and features:

Then click Next:

Now, you will get selected for which type of role you want this installed for and you have 2 choices locally or remote desktop (formerly known as terminal services) style

Now you can select a pool of servers (helpful for web farms) or an individual mode:

Select the AD Role and notice that I am not going to choose the DNS role (as I want to see if it will prompt me for it):

When you select this role, it will automatically select other dependencies:

On the features selection page, grab the clustering role for being able to manage the cluster

Again, when you select this role, it will automatically select other dependencies:

Before installing, it gives you an overview of the role:

It will confirm your selections before proceeding

The good news here is that the DNS dependency was picked up and it will fix it when you click next:

I also checked the restart automatically (if needed) option to speed things up

Not it shows you the list of roles/features to install:

Here is the progress screen:

The installation was a success:

At this point, all we did was install the Active Directory binaries and we have not gone through promoting the server to a DC. Here is where you need to click the Flag
and then promote:

Now it starts the wizard to create or join a new forest/domain:

Since this is the SQL Server 2012 Always on Lab, this will be a new forest/domain:

Functional level options for the forest/domain:

Since we did not create it, it throws a DNS error, which is a good thing:

Setting up the NetBIOS name of the domain:

Active Directory settings:

Review of the Active Directory setup for the forest/domain:

Here is what the PowerShell script looks like when you click on View Script:

Here is some warnings/notifications about some of the selections we selected:

AD Installation progress:

Success:

Now at this point all you need to do is join the other member’s servers to the domain. If you followed this article, then you created the System Properties shortcut on your Start Menu:

Select Change:

Click the Domain radio button and enter in your domain name and hit OK:

You will be prompted for your AD credentials:

Success! You are joined to the domain: