Adding an Intel based node to an old AMD based cluster

[jimbass]

Hi all

I have a two node Server 2003 cluster running SQL 2000 SP4. The boxes are older Opteron machines and one is giving me headaches. I would like to build a new box based on the Xeon platform an add it to the cluster. Anyone ever do something like this? If so what issues did you encounter if any? If I can get this to work I would then build an identical Xeon box and retire the other AMD box. Is there a better way to migrate my Cluster from AMD to Intel?

 

[Lifted]

I'd prefer to build a new cluster, fresh OS and SQL/cluster config, copy the DB's over, configure anything else in SQL, test, then migrate after hours once everything is running. You can test with VM's or some old desktops until you're sure everything will work if you're not keen on purchasing the new hardware right away.

AMD -> Intel is not an issue for Windows or SQL.

 

[jimbass]

I'd prefer to build a new cluster, fresh OS and SQL/cluster config, copy the DB's over, configure anything else in SQL, test, then migrate after hours once everything is running. You can test with VM's or some old desktops until you're sure everything will work if you're not keen on purchasing the new hardware right away.

AMD -> Intel is not an issue for Windows or SQL.

Thanks for the response

I'd like to do a fresh build but it's not in the cards. looks like I'll have to do this in place. I was hoping that I could get away with retiring the probmlematic node and then join the new intel node it would work. Then do the same for the other. I will be keeping the storage and interfaces to the RAID the same just building better boxes. My main concern was that Cluster services wouldn't play nice with different CPU platforms. So I take it that shouldn't be a problem?

 

[Lifted]

I've never heard of any issues regarding Windows OS clusters being limited to the same cpu family/architecture. Never mixed em up myself (Intel & AMD). The most I've done is mix differing levels of CPU's (dual single core Xeon's in one server with dual quad cores in another) and it ran 100%. That was a Windows 2008 cluster for Exchange 2007 mailbox servers in a DAG. That's equivalent to the difference between P4 and Core2.