INFO: Using MSMQ with SQL Server 7.0 on Clusters (233077)

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The following MSMQ Message Queue Information Service (MQIS) servers:

• Primary Enterprise Controllers (PEC)
• Primary Site Controllers (PSC)
• Backup Site Controllers (BSC)

require SQL Server version 6.5 or later on the computer where these server types are installed. For Microsoft Cluster Server configurations, a limited version of SQL 6.5 and a special SQL cluster wizard are supplied on the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition component CD, located in the \MSMQ\MSMQ\SQL folder. This limited version of SQL has SQL Server 6.5 Service Pack 3 integrated into the installation. The cluster wizard included on the CD only allows for the use of the local system account when running the SQL Server service.

Changes to SQL Server 7.0 Enterprise Edition exclude the use of the local system account for running the SQL Server service. This change, combined with the restriction that MSMQ cannot use an SQL Server that is clustered with the SQL SVS Cluster Wizard, disables the ability to install MSMQ on MSCS with SQL 7.0 Enterprise Edition. It also excludes the ability to upgrade an MSMQ MQIS server that was installed with SQL Server 6.5 (limited version or Enterprise Edition) to SQL 7.0 Enterprise Edition in an MSCS configuration.

NOTE: This restriction applies only to Microsoft Cluster Server configurations. MSMQ and SQL Server 7.0 function together on nonclustered Windows NT 4.0 servers, and install normally except for a minor problem with the MSMQ installation process. For more information on installing MSMQ MQIS servers with SQL Server 7.0 on nonclustered computers, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Instead of using the MSMQ MQIS servers on a cluster, it is recommended that you install another MSMQ node type. Both MSMQ Routing Server (RS) and MSMQ Independent Client (IC) remain viable alternatives to using an MSMQ MQIS server with MSCS. In making a decision as to which solution to use, consider the following:

• Both RSs and ICs are capable of creating and managing MSMQ public and private queues.
• Both RSs and ICs have a local MSMQ queue manager that makes offline work possible.
• MSMQ RSs may be used as routing servers or site gates for intrasite and intersite communications.
• MSMQ RSs also may host MSMQ Connector applications, allowing for communication to Microsoft Exchange using the MSMQ Exchange Connector, and to MQSeries using the Microsoft MSMQ-MQSeries Bridge.

Neither RSs nor ICs have an MQIS database, so they may need to make Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) calls to an MSMQ MQIS server for operations such as queue and queue property lookups. It is recommended that at least an MSMQ BSC be located on a fast, dependable link relative to the MSMQ MSCS configuration. A configuration that provides fast, dependable access to a PSC and BSC provides the best fault tolerance for dependable MQIS access.

For additional information on this subject, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: