Long story short...need to move an instance of SQL Server 2008 Standard (SP3) from old, aging hardware --both SAN storage & node servers-- to the newer, meaner, faster stuff. The SQL instance is running on a two-node, active-passive Windows 2008 R2 Failover Cluster.
- The existing cluster storage resources are coming from a fiber channel SAN.
- The new SAN is iSCSI-only.
- The old nodes can see the new SAN (iSCSI)
- The new nodes can not see the old (FC) SAN
- The existing cluster was built using volume letters instead of mount points (just throwing this piece of info out there)
- Unfortunately, the link between old nodes and new SAN is not over 10Gbps links but over slower 1Gbps. Why do I mention this? Because it might be impractical (impossible) to pretend to move DBs from FC to iSCSI SANs and keeping the SQL instance operational.
My ultimate goal: to migrate the SQL Server instance from old hardware and into the new storage & server-nodes. We don't care about cluster IP, VIP, or virtual host names as we use aliasing on all our client servers to point our applications to the right environment.
- I know how to move databases from old to new SAN (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190794(v=sql.100).aspx)
- I know how to move system databases from old to new SAN (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345408(v=sql.100).aspx)
- I don't know how to move the SQL instance itself from one Failover Cluster to the another, without doing a full-rebuild / setup, which is what I want to avoid.
- We can actually afford somewhere to the tune of 8 hour of downtime if needed.
Advice, tips, and reading material are welcome! Good answers, really appreciated! :)