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Asked: 2010-09-05 00:08:35 +0800 CST

Setup SQL Server mirroring

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Is it possible to setup SQL Server mirroring and run it with only 1 server right now, then later add another server later?

p.s I cant afford to do mirroring right now, and don't want reconfigure the primary server all over again later on to do mirroring.

sql-server sql-server-2008

3 Answers

  1. The short answer is no, in order to turn on mirroring you need to have at least the two machines, and optionally a witness (heartbeat) so that it can auto-magically fail over. Now with that said, you won't have to re-configure your server... you'll only have to configure mirroring. Meaning that you won't have to reinstall your host machine or anything.

    I'd suggest reading here, it's a pretty good step by step guide. http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3828341/Database-Mirroring-in-SQL-Server-2008.htm

    As someone who has done, and still does both mirroring and log shipping, I can say that in my opinion MS has made this process fairly easy to do without disrupting your whole current installation.

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  2. It is technically possible to do mirroring with a single server, although you will need to install two instances of SQL Server. Whether you should do this in a production environment though may not make sense!

    Mirroring is not something you need to configure upfront when the server is setup. If further down the track you get another server, then you simply configure the 2nd server and set it up for mirroring there & then. You will not save any time by configuring it now with a single server, you will just create more work for yourself.

    My advice is that you get yourself a developer version of sql server & install some instances of it & play around with it to get yourself familiar with setting up & tearing down mirroring!

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