We currently have a stand alone production server SQL 2005 STD + SP2 and plan to upgrade to clustered SQL 2005 Ent + SP2. What's the proper way to upgrade ? I want the existing server instance use Ent engine.
You will have to build the Cluster nodes from the ground up. You don't really 'upgrade' to a cluster. You migrate.
When you successfully have your cluster node(s) established, then backup up the existing database and RESTORE...WITH MOVE... to the clustered instance. (You can also use DETTACH, xcopy, and ATTACH/)
Here are some support documents on Clustering SQL Server:
Cluster -Guide to Creating and Configuring a Server Cluster Under Windows Server 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=96F76ED7-9634-4300-9159-89638F4B4EF7&displaylang=en
Cluster -How to Configure Virtual Server 2005 in Order to Setup a Test SQL Server Cluster
http://www.sql-server-performance.com/installing_sql_clustering_virtual_server1.asp
Cluster -Installing a Failover Cluster
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms179410.aspx
Cluster -Mountpoints
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/280297
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/898790
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/physdbstor.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/819546
Cluster -Move to a new SAN
http://msmvps.com/blogs/clusterhelp/archive/2005/08/05/61741.aspx
Cluster -Patterns and Practices, High Availability
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2000/deploy/sqlhalp.mspx
Cluster -SQL Server 2000 Failover Clustering
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2000/maintain/failclus.mspx
http://www.sql-server-performance.com/sqlserver2000_clustering_install_main.asp
Cluster -SQL Server 2005 Failover Clustering White Paper
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=818234dc-a17b-4f09-b282-c6830fead499&DisplayLang=en
Cluster -TechNet Support WebCast: How to cluster Microsoft SQL Server 2005 by using Microsoft Virtual Server
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=891798
Cluster -Using Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 to Create and Configure a Two-Node Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Cluster
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/virtualserver/deploy/cvs2005.mspx
Cluster
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2000/maintain/failclus.mspx#EUEBG
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/planning/server/clustersteps.asp
http://www.support.microsoft.com/?id=254321
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/70eba3d3-dca0-453b-a8c2-aa02220064891033.mspx?mfr=true
