I’ve been fascinated with SQL Server clustering for at least 15 years. It has matured considerably since the “Wolfpack” days back in 2000, when I sat next to the resident clustering guru at the contracting client I had at that time. He explained the basics to me, and I’m sure I had that “deer in the headlights” look. As a DBA, I had absolutely no interest in storage, networking, DNS, or Active Directory. I simply wanted to expand my SQL DBA skills in a vacuum. Besides, the initial MS implementation of clustering was not at all robust.

But as the years passed, I could see that world of clustering/high availability was catching on, so I decided to learn more about it, and I let go of my irrational lack of desire to learn things not directly connected to SQL Server. I set them up in my lab multiple dozens of times, and came to see clusters as a sort of gigantic puzzle, one that had many inputs and variables, and could be difficult to troubleshoot. Eventually Microsoft released SQL 2012 which included Availability Groups, whose foundation is Windows Server Failover Clustering. I knew my understanding of clustering needed improvement, and so I signed up for an in-person class.  There were only five other students in the class, and so we each received a lot of attention from the instructor, who was definitely super-knowledgeable. In some ways, there is nothing like being in the same room with a technologist who has that type of experience, and the ability to ask questions and also hear the questions that others ask is invaluable.

However, the costs for this class were not insignificant. The course fee was $2,395, hotel was $840, and I missed 4 days of work, for which I was not paid (I’m a contractor/consultant). I considered it an investment in my career, and didn’t give it a second thought. After the training, and following up with the materials that were given in class, my understanding and skills were improved. But four days wasn’t enough for me, and so I began to seek another way of taking my clustering skills to the next level, desiring to have a much deeper understanding of both Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) and SQL Failover Cluster Instances (FCI).

“Timing is everything”, as they say, and I was thrilled to discover that SQL Server MCM and Data Platform MVP Edwin Sarmiento (b | t) had just completed the Herculean effort of creating an online course of study entitled  “Windows Server Failover Clustering for the Smart SQL Server DBA”. I reviewed the course outline, and saw many things that I already knew well, but also many that I needed to improve in my skill set. I liked that you could purchase only the modules that you needed.

Here’s the course outline:

• Introduction to Microsoft® High Availability Technologies
• Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) Fundamentals
• Planning and Installing a Windows Server Failover Cluster (WSFC)
• Deep Dive on Windows Server Failover Cluster Quorum
• Windows Server Failover Cluster (WSFC) Configuration
• Planning and Installing SQL Server Failover Clustered Instance
• Configuring SQL Server Failover Clustered Instances
• Managing SQL Server Failover Clustered Instances

The course is described as “advanced” and “deep-dive”, and that’s definitely true, but it starts at the very beginning, and makes no assumptions about the skill level of the viewer with regard to WSFC or FCIs.

When it comes to learning, it’s often said that “repetition is good”. That’s one of the benefits that online training has versus in-person training – you can review it over and over again, and really let it sink in.

You can purchase individual modules or the entire course, and the pricing is extremely reasonable. The course can be viewed at a time and place of your choosing, and you can view modules an unlimited number of times. 

“Windows Server Failover Clustering for the Smart SQL Server DBA” truly expanded my mind about Windows Failover Clustering and FCIs, and Edwin always responded to the dozens of questions I had. His course is a fantastic resource, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to up their game in the vast and complex world of clustering.

The course is located here: https://learnsqlserverhadr.com