Configure an Always On availability group

In this article, we will explore how to configure an Always On availability group in Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions. Availability groups provide high availability and disaster recovery features for your databases, ensuring that they are always accessible and protected against failures.

Step 1: Create a Windows Server Failover Cluster (WSFC)

Create a Windows Server Failover Cluster (WSFC) if one does not already exist. A WSFC is a group of independent servers that work together to increase the availability of applications and services. You can create a WSFC through the Azure portal or PowerShell.

Step 2: Provision Virtual Machines (VMs)

Provision two or more virtual machines (VMs) running SQL Server in Azure. These VMs will act as replicas and will host the availability group. Ensure that each VM is joined to the WSFC.

Step 3: Configure VMs for Availability Groups

Configure the VMs to meet the prerequisites for availability groups. This includes setting up the required storage, enabling the Always On availability groups feature, and configuring a domain account for the SQL Server service.

Step 4: Connect to the Primary Replica VM

Launch SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and connect to the primary replica VM.

Step 5: Create an Availability Group

Create an availability group by right-clicking on the “Availability Groups” folder in Object Explorer, selecting “New Availability Group Wizard,” and following the steps in the wizard to create the group.

Step 6: Add Databases to the Availability Group

Add databases to the availability group. Specify the databases you want to include in the group and configure the appropriate options such as backup preferences and synchronization mode.

Step 7: Configure Availability Group Listeners

Configure availability group listeners to provide a single client endpoint to which applications can connect regardless of which replica is currently serving the requests. You can create a listener by right-clicking on the “Listeners” folder in Object Explorer and selecting “Add Listener.”

Step 8: Set Up Automatic Failover

Set up automatic failover by specifying the conditions under which an automatic failover should occur. This can be based on specific health criteria, such as detecting a database or replica failure.

Step 9: Validate the Configuration

Validate the configuration using the “Validate” option in SSMS to ensure that the availability group is configured correctly and all replicas are synchronized.

Step 10: Start the Availability Group

Once the validation is successful, start the availability group to enable data synchronization between replicas.

By following these steps, you have successfully configured an Always On availability group in Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions. This ensures high availability and disaster recovery for your databases, keeping your applications running smoothly even in the event of failures.