Project Overview

This project involved a single intervention requested by a Fiverr client. The issue was that a failover did not occur when the primary server of an Availability Group (AG) in SQL Server was restarted. The objective was to diagnose and resolve this problem to ensure seamless failover functionality in case of future server restarts. The client requested that I begin as soon as possible, and we agreed on a price of 40 euros for this short intervention.

Additionally, we planned for me to address four other SQL Jobs that were continuously failing. Out of these, two were easily fixed, one required the addition of a step to check if the server was primary, and the last job needed to be re-scripted to function correctly.

Technical Details

The primary focus was on diagnosing the AG configuration to identify why the failover process failed when the primary server was restarted. This involved checking the cluster settings, network connectivity, and the failover mechanism itself. The intervention was performed remotely using AnyDesk, with all actions logged for the client’s review.

The solution was found in the Failover Cluster Manager, where an option was selected that allowed only one failover within a 6-hour timeframe. This option was unnecessary, and after discussing it with the client, we decided to remove it.

Regarding the SQL Jobs, I began by reviewing the job steps and error logs to pinpoint the causes of the failures. Two of the jobs were fixed with straightforward adjustments to their existing configurations. For the third job, I added a conditional step to verify whether the server was the primary node, ensuring it only ran when appropriate. The fourth job required more extensive modifications, including re-scripting parts of the job to align with the current server environment and operational requirements.

Results and Pricing

The issue with the failover was identified and resolved within the 4-hour intervention window. The client was informed of the root cause and provided with recommendations to prevent future occurrences. The four failing SQL Jobs were also addressed. These tasks were completed efficiently, ensuring the client's systems ran smoothly.

The intervention was priced as agreed, at 40 euros. Following the successful resolution of all issues, the client gave me a 5-star review on Fiverr, helping me grow my account.