Hi, i am planning to set up AlwaysOn with 20 databases, Automatic failover(synchronous) in my current environment, SQL server 2014,windows server std 2012 configure WSFC on 2 nodes  , 

Node1   Node2  ( both Enterprise sql server editions), both servers located in 2 different locations 

In the event of any failures below listed  i want to failover from Node1 to Node2.

1.Operating System goes down
2.SQL Server Instance goes offline/Shutdown
3.Disk Failures
4.Network goes down 
5.Cpu, motherboard goes bad
6.database goes offilne.

My questions:

1.where do i have to keep AGListner? node 3 ? and if yes node3 (for safety)--what are other options?

2.do i have to use SQL enterprise edition or will SQL express edition works?

3.what about operating server ? and Node3 should also configure WSFC?

4.I am also planning to use node3(SQL express) as  distributor  because i have replication from node1 to different server., do distributor works on Express edition ?

3. all my Fail over listed above(1-6) works with always on ?

please give some tips

1. AGListener is Window Cluster Resource, you don't need 3rd node at all, AGListener would fail over with your AG group in case of failures you described in scenario 1-6.

2.If you are planning to use 3rd node you would need ENT ( for instance second replica), Express wont work but you don't need that at all for your configuration

3. Yes it would if you are going to use 3rd node to house any replicas.

4. No, You can not use SQL Express as a distributor, it could only be used as a Subscriber.

5. Yep :)

HTH

• Proposed as answer by Lydia ZhangMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator 1 hour 20 minutes ago

AGListner is part of Availability Group. Listner will have its own ip address. you do not need another server just running listner.

Express edition replication considerations.

1. AGListener is Window Cluster Resource, you don't need 3rd node at all, AGListener would fail over with your AG group in case of failures you described in scenario 1-6.

2.If you are planning to use 3rd node you would need ENT ( for instance second replica), Express wont work but you don't need that at all for your configuration

3. Yes it would if you are going to use 3rd node to house any replicas.

4. No, You can not use SQL Express as a distributor, it could only be used as a Subscriber.

5. Yep :)

HTH

• Proposed as answer by Lydia ZhangMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Friday, September 11, 2015 5:43 AM
• Marked as answer by coolguy123SQL 16 hours 29 minutes ago

Thank you SQLGru

Thank you Kumar