SQL Server MS DTC installation and configuration on Windows 2008 Cluster

Configuration of MSDTC (Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator) remains a critical step for building a new SQL Server cluster. Although MSDTC can run strictly on a node of a cluster, it is highly recommend running it as a clustered resource. Running MSDTC as a clustered resource ensures high availability of MSDTC in case of a fail-over.

After the SQL Cluster is online, first step will be deciding if you want to run MS DTC as an independent cluster group or a part of SQL Server group. This decision can be influenced by many parameters. However in a nut shell, I recommend that if you can accommodate MS DTC log to reside in one of the SQL Server drive (a storage dependent on SQL Cluster), then you can create MS DTC with in the SQL Server group only. This is most recommended way to build MS DTC for a SQL Server cluster. Please refer to http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770748(WS.10).aspx for Requirements for Creating an MS DTC Resource in a Failover Cluster.

Now once you have everything ready, follow below procedure to create and configure MS DTC on the cluster:

Step 1: Selecting appropriate resource group from Failover Cluster Management

Step 2: Add a new MS DTC resource

After adding MS DTC, the resource will remain offline and will look cluster management console will like below:

Step 3: Add dependencies (at least one drive and one network name) and setup other policies as per below:

Set up dependency:

Set up policy:

Set up Advanced Policy:

Step 4: Bring the newly created MS DTC group online. At this point, cluster group will be completely online and look as below:

At this point, MS DTC is online in cluster. However you can modify MS DTC settings from Component Service as per need of the application’s whose database is residing on the server.

These settings can be accessed from Component Services à Computers à à My Computer à Distributed Transaction Coordinator à Clustered DTCs à “Name of the newly created group’s property tab.

Also you will be able to choose default coordinator from the properties menu of Component Services à My Computer à MSDTC tab.