How to Update SQL Server to a Later Service Pack or Cumulative Update Pack with Neverfail Engine Installed

How to Update SQL Server to a Later Service Pack or Cumulative Update Pack with Neverfail Engine Installed

Summary

This Knowledgebase article provides the procedure to upgrade SQL Server to a later Service Pack or Cumulative Update pack with Neverfail Engine Installed.

More Information

Use the procedure below to update Microsoft SQL Server 2008, 2008R2, 2012, 2016 to a newer Microsoft SQL Server SP or CU when Neverfail Engine is installed and protects SQL Server application.

Pre-update step: Check that the installed version of Neverfail for SQL Server Plug-in supports the newer SQL Server SP/CU. Upgrade Neverfail Engine to the version which supports the newer SP/CU (if available/applicable).
Note: This procedure assumes Neverfail Engine is running/connected/replicating on all of the cluster nodes having Primary/Active and Secondary and Tertiary servers (if present) as Passive(s).

Tip: If you have the SP/CU file on the Primary server you can create a Inclusion File Filter in Neverfail Engine so that Engine replicates those files to the Passive servers.

Example - If your SP/CU files for SQL Server are stored under C:\Temp folder you can create an inclusion filter like in the screenshot below:

 
Procedure:
  1. Stop Neverfail Engine on all cluster nodes, leaving the applications running.
  2. On the Primary/Active server, run the Microsoft SQL Server update then follow the steps indicated in the SQL update wizard.
  3. When the SQL update process is completed on the Primary/Active server, verify that all SQL Server installed services are functional.
  4. Run the Microsoft SQL Server upgrade process on each of the passive servers (Secondary and Tertiary - if present) then follow the steps indicated in the SQL update wizard.

    Note: Ignore any warnings or errors of the form this service cannot be started. It is expected that the update process will attempt to start some SQL services after the update is completed - and some of them will fail to start on the Passive server(s).
  5. Wait until the SQL update process is completed on each of the Passive servers.
  6. Start Neverfail Engine on all the servers in the cluster. 

    Note: Engine will automatically stop any services started by the update process on the passive(s). Replication will complete and servers will synchronize.
Observation: In rare occasions this procedure might fail on the Passive server(s) especially if the SP/CU needs connectivity with the domain controller when applied. The fix for such a situation is a re-clone of the Primary Active server in order to rebuild Secondary and Tertiary (if present) servers.

Applies To

Neverfail for SQL Server Plug-in
SQL Server 2008

SQL Server 2008 R2

SQL Server 2012

SQL Server 2014

SQL Server 2016

Related Information

None
KBID-2972 

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