f7e2e355   
   From: esquel@sommarskog.se   
      
   Mark (google@markginsburg.com) writes:   
   > At my organization, users have started to use the virtual address   
   > created when SQL Server is installed on a failover cluster for non-SQL   
   > uses.   
   >   
   > I have always created an cluster IP resource in addition to the SQL   
   > cluster IP resource for non-SQL access to the server (like for mapping   
   > drives).   
   >   
   > What is the impact on SQL Server if people use the SQL virtual IP for   
   > non-SQL related access to the cluster?   
   >   
   > Is there a best practice that dictates that a separate IP should be   
   > provided for non-SQL access?   
      
   Since I'm into clustering myself, I relayed the question to my MVP mates.   
   Here are two responses I recevied:   
      
       There is no different impact to SQL Between using the SQL name/ip or a   
       different name/ip in the same resource group.  All it is in either   
       case is a socket connection to the server on one ip or another.   
      
   And response to this comment was:   
      
      The impact is this: if they add it to the SQL group, make it a   
      dependency of the SQL resource, and it goes down, it can potentially   
      take SQL down.   
      
      So never add anything to the SQL group for non-SQL access if you care   
      about HA.   
      
      
      
      
   --   
   Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@sommarskog.se   
      
   Links for SQL Server Books Online:   
   SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx   
   SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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