Changing the cluster virtual IP address

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jason Amato
  • Start date Start date
J

Jason Amato

After building a Windows 2000 and SQL 2000 cluster, I
realized that my cluster virutal IP address was set
incorrectly. My client is already running applications
against the data on the cluster, but would like to change
this IP address.

I know that to change it I can use the Cluster
Administrator, but are there other implications to
changing this IP address. Most of the information I can
find regards changing the IP address of a network adapter,
not the virutal IP itself.
 
Jason,

You are correct in both assumptions. It is fairly easy to change the IP address through Cluster Admin, and yes there are other considerations.

I would recommend the following:

1. Map any application dependencies that rely on either the IP address or virtual server name with your end users, such as hard coded references in front-end applications.

2. See if you can get your users to change any hard coded IP addresses to DNS names, using the current virtual server name. If you don't already have the virtual server name in DNS, you will want to set it up.

3. Change the virtual IP address and change the DNS A record at the same time. As long as you check with whoever manages your DNS to make sure you don't have excessively long replication times within DNS, you're set. Also, if the app is presented outside your internal network, you may have to update your external DNS as well, which will definitely take longer.

Sean Bogan
Microsoft Consultant
Collective Technologies
www.collectivetech.com
 
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