3.4.3 MxDB for SQL Server Installation and Administration Guide

Appendix B: Host MS DTC on a Remote Node 109

MxDB for SQL Server utilizes PolyServe’s shared cluster filesystem, in

which all nodes in the cluster can simultaneously read/write to a file on

the shared disk. On failover, the backup node simply starts up SQL

Server and mounts the data on the shared disk. There is relatively little

cost in transition or data movement.

Whether SQL Server is running as stand-alone or clustered, MS DTC is

needed if SQL Server (or Virtual SQL Server) needs to maintain a

transaction spanning across multiple data sources. Although, as shown

below, MxDB for SQL Server can transparently virtualize DTC service on

the active node (this option is enabled by checking the MSDTC checkbox

during the MxDB for SQL Server virtualization process), it can only

virtualize DTC for the very first hosted virtual SQL.

The scope of this appendix is to address this limitation by providing

comprehensive steps to host DTC on a dedicated remote node. Note that

the remote node can reside anywhere and does not have to be part of the

cluster (as is required by Veritas and MSCS).