Content
1. Background
1.1 Short introduction
1.2 History - Why did we start on SQL Server vNext and the EAP?
2. In the EAP
3.1 CTP1.2
3.2 New CTP1.3 and 1.4
3.3 CTP2 = SQL Server 2017
3. Looking back
3.1 Impressions of SQL Server 2017 (on Windows / Linux)
3.2 Impressions of the EAP
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About the company…
Swiss Mobiliar Insurance
• Own applications as well as external applications
• Operate Windows and Linux,
directly and on Docker/Kubernetes
• Observe and anticipate development on new technologies
Mobiliar and databases
• Oracle, SQL Server, DB2 zOs / Linux / Windows
In SQL Server
• 1200+ DBs summing to 5TB, of which 550+ productive
• 30+ AON AGs with 300+ of all DBs
• 110+ Server VMs
• SQL Server 2008 - 2017
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… and the speaker
Christian Hählen
• 9 years working experience
• on SQL Server as data architect & database administrator
• as a database interface developer (.NET)
• 4 years working experience as System Administrator /
Head of Infrastructure and Operations
→ «I know the other side»
• Working at Mobiliar as database specialist / DBA for one year
• Member of PASS and co-organizer Swiss Chapter Events in Bern
• Interested in the future of
• SQL Server
• Information system technologies
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History -
Why did we start on SQL Server vNext and the EAP?
Developing on Linux & Open for new technologies
• First appearances got our attention
• Make SQL Server more interesting for our developers
• Possibility to use in self-developed applications
(in Docker environment?)
Then we heard of the Early Adopter Program
• Already beta customers at Oracle
• Know the advantages such programs can offer
• Christian knows about co-working with Microsoft
• We have an independent application needing test environment
• Let’s get on board!
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History -
What did we want to migrate
SQLMon
• Self developed collection of PowerShell scripts for
• Reporting
• Monitoring
• Maintenance
• Not to be confused with tools from Oracle or Sourceforge
called the same
• Documenting our database world map
in a SQL Server database by means of
details about
• Servers
• Databases
• Processes and counters
• Much more
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In the EAP
Two mails and … GO!
• Filled in the form, got contacted, registered on Yammer
• And hey: there we were!
Got the first VM from our infrastructure team
• Setup breaks
• internet reports calmed
• Added disk space
• Installation done in seconds. SECONDS!
• Configuring to our SQL Server standard not so easy
First glimpse of hope
• Mike Weiner, our EAP buddy from SQLCAT, told me about
CTP1.3 with AON functionality
• Lucky to wait for it and test
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In the EAP
CTP 1.3
• Promised CTP soon there
• update on Linux as easy
• On Windows the usual CTP behaviour
• At the same time a second VM was ordered to be ready to test
AON on Linux
• CLUSTER_TYPE to NONE great,
test AON AG Linux-Windows set-up in no time!
• But…
• Autoseeding does not work (cross-OS)
• Manual failover always looses connection
• Restarting secondary helps, but takes time. A LOT OF TIME!
• Able to produce a repeatable split brain
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In the EAP
Second glimpse of hope
• Reported restart-issue, Yammer answer from MS came in hours
• Split Brain advice was clear: Don’t use dialog, use T-SQL!
• CTP1.4 to come
CTP 1.4
• CTP 1.4 very soon released, restart-issue fixed
• Failover management to be done by pacemaker,
but heard about changes to come
• Considered working on it or waiting
• Decided to bring SQLMon to Linux
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In the EAP
Bringing SQLMon to Linux
• Restored a copy on the Linux AG, copied the PS scripts
• Still missing collection of Linux VM data
• Worked without a hassle
• Last step to go: HA
Adding maintenance
• Our scripts for backups and maintenance did not work
• Created “remote” version
CTP 2
• New CLUSTER_TYPE “EXTERNAL” good to prevent conflicts
• Installation of pacemaker finally done
• cluster does not come up
• IP not able to be assigned
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In the EAP
Direct help from Microsoft
• Mike added Murshed (also SQLCAT) to the communication,
then things went fast
• Some tips of Murshed and our Unix/Linux Team
• Finally pacemaker achieved its power
• What were the reasons?
• Sysadmin for pacemakerLogin
• Servers need same Subnet
CTP 2.1
• dbfs interesting for reporting
• mssql-scripter tool and SSIS on Linux not yet tested
Going productive
• Servers and virtual IP ordered
• Learning fencing / STONITH
• Let’s see if it replaces the current Windows version!
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Looking back – EAP
Simple registration / getting started
Nice contact from the beginning
Regular phone calls
• Helps scheduling the steps
• Insights into development process
• Providing useful contacts
• Early confirmation about bugs
Yammer
• Good idea
• Mostly silent
• Not many want to share interna
• I forgot to post, too…
• But if you ask…
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Looking back –
SQL Server 2017 (on Linux)
«CLUSTER_TYPE = NONE» really needed feature, thank you!
Management Studio 2016 / 2017
• Monthly releases fast but also danger
• Suddenly faulting features
• Very large icons, have to get used to it
• Login dialog scrolling
→ sort of problem you want to have ;-)
SQL Server 2017 on Linux
• Incredibly fast installed
• Not yet easy to configure
• AD integration missing
• Pacemaker integration with «CLUSTER_TYPE = EXTERNAL» great
• removes things from management studio
• just after taking from WFCS…
• 3 servers needed for HA
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Questions
Thank’s for listening …
If you want to learn more about our future experiences,
follow our new blog at www.mobiliar.ch/db-blog
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