1 Various Microsoft articles state that Biztalk 2013 R2 SQL databases are supported by Microsoft on a Windows failover cluster.
  Does this mean that SQL 2012 and/or 2014 AlwaysOn Failover Clustering is fully supported for BizTalk 2013R2 including MSDTC.

2. Can we install SQL 2012 and SQL 2014 on the same AlwaysOn failover cluster?

Regards

Suresh

Hi Suresh,

SQL Server AlwaysOn is not supported in BizTalk 2013 R2 as well. This is mentioned in MSDN page

What's New in BizTalk Server 2013 and 2013 R2

"When BizTalk Server and SQL Server are installed on separate computers, Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC) handles the transactions between the computers. As a result, the SQL Server AlwaysOn feature is not supported. The SQL Server AlwaysOn feature does not support MSDTC transactions."

Discussed in length on similar post here.

Hi Suresh,

As pointed out Always-on is not support in any versions of BizTalk.

This has been highlighted to Microsoft during our discussions since Always-on as part of its high-availability. But Microsoft has confirmed that even supporting Always-on is not on their priority list to embrace as of now.

Regards,

M.R.Ashwin Prabhu

Hold on everyone!  We have to very clear on this one.  To answer the specific questions:

1. YES, the BizTalk databases are supported on an AlwaysOn Failover Cluster.*
2. Yes, side-by-side versions of SQL Server are supported, but there are plenty of reasons not to.

*AlwaysOn Failover Cluster is just the new product name for the same Wolfpack clustering we've have for 10+ years.

AlwaysOn Availability Groups is not supported in any way, even by the SQL Adapter.

Hey John,

Do you mean AlwaysOn Failover Cluster can be configured for BizTalk Group, unless we use SQL Adapter in any of our applications??

Can we install BizTalk Group on AlwaysOn Failover & with out native Logshipping?

Can you give a short brieft anout AlwaysOn & DR behaviour for BizTalk Databases