Mirror of a Database part of Always on AG

Hi Folks,

we have an AG scenario where we are using WFC on a 2 node cluster. We are then using AG for mirroring the databases to both nodes and have a listener.

What I want to do next is to establish another copy of the database at a remote location. But I don't want to add the 3rd system to the WFC. I am not a big fan of WFC and I have seen it causes many more problems. The 3rd system will be in a remote location and the network not 100% reliable. I have seen in the past that it causes the entire cluster to hang and causing my production to crash which I don't want.

I there a way to add a 3rd node to the mirror configuration. I don't know if I can add a 3rd node to the AG unless it is part of the same cluster.

I know I can configure log shipping, I am fine with it but in the source, I have no control of which node the DB will be. I am not sure if a log shipping scenario can be configured using the listener instead of the physical host.

regards

Yogesh

September 14th, 2015 2:59pm

"Is there a way to add a 3rd node to the mirror configuration. I don't know if I can add a 3rd node to the AG unless it is part of the same cluster."

Ans: No. It is not possible to configure AG when the Node is not part of the same cluster.

"I know I can configure log shipping, I am fine with it but in the source, I have no control of which node the DB will be"

you have few options here logshipping, mirroring, replication. make a synchronous commit in AG. Then configure between either node1 or node2 and your node3 one of the above.

if you use mirroring use async. no matter which one is your primary you still able to do this.

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September 14th, 2015 7:39pm

I there a way to add a 3rd node to the mirror configuration. I don't know if I can add a 3rd node to the AG unless it is part of the same cluster.

You can't add a node which is not a part of WSFC

I am not a big fan of WFC and I have seen it causes many more problems

There are many customers how has implemented multi-site clustering so I am not sure about your situation/fear. As long as you keep systems up-to-date and network is little OK, clustering works just fine. Final call is yours, if you don't want it we are no one to challenge your decision. You have to adjust voting for the remote node.

I know I can configure log shipping, I am fine with it but in the source, I have no control of which node the DB will be. I am not sure if a log shipping scenario can be configured using the listener instead of the physical host.
http://sqlserver-help.com/2014/07/03/alwayson-better-together-using-alwayson-availability-group-and-log-shipping
September 14th, 2015 9:17pm