Implementing Replication on a Cluster

If a server you want to include in a cluster uses replication, you need to uninstall replication before adding that server to the cluster. After you have installed the server as part of the cluster, you can reinstall replication on that server.

Uninstalling and reinstalling replication is necessary because Microsoft® SQL Server™ replication relies extensively on server name references. In a cluster, the virtual server name is different from the name of any individual server belonging to the cluster. If a server with replication was assigned to a cluster with replication left unchanged, the server name used by replication would be incorrect, because replication uses the virtual server name, not the individual server name.

Determining Whether the Server is Configured for Replication

First, determine whether replication services are currently in use on a server you want added to a cluster. To do so, use SQL Server Enterprise Manager and expand the server you want added on the console tree. Check whether Replication Monitor for that server exists. If it exists, replication is used on the server; if it does not exist, replication is not used and you do not need to uninstall replication.

Uninstall and Reinstall Process

SQL Server includes several features that simplify the process of uninstalling and reinstalling replication services. In most cases, you must:

Generate replication removal scripts.
Generate replication installation scripts.
Execute the replication removal scripts on the server.
Perform the installation instructions to add the server to the cluster.
Perform a search and replace on the installation script using an editor.
Replace all old server name references with the new virtual server name references.
Execute the modified installation scripts.

Note Anonymous Subscribers must be notified that the server name has changed and will have to be reinitialized.

When installing clustering on a well-known (registered) Subscriber:

For push subscriptions, drop the Subscriber and its subscriptions at the Publisher and then add them back after the cluster installation.
For pull subscriptions, perform the same steps as for Push subscriptions at the Subscriber.

Note If the application uses embedded Microsoft ActiveX® controls or runs the replication agents on demand, you can change the Subscriber property to reflect the new name without explicitly adding the subscription. It will be created automatically on the initial execution of the Merge or Distribution Agent.

To generate removal or installation scripts