SQL Server Availability Group configuration steps

Question

I was preparing for a testing and got into question:
In which order should you perform the actions (5 total actions) to create availability group ?

I arranged actions as below:

1. Launch the Failover Cluster Manager and configure AO-AG1 and AO-AG2 as servers in the cluster. Name the cluster WINCL1
2. Enable SQL Server 2016 Always On Availability Group feature
3. Add and configure the replica and create availability group listener named AGL1 on port 1433
4. Create the Always On Availability Group and select the user databases for the availability group
5. Select the Full data synchronization method and specify te network path: \DATA-CI1\SQL

Learning material says that correct order is below:

1. Launch the Failover Cluster Manager and configure AO-AG1 and AO-AG2 as servers in the cluster. Name the cluster WINCL1
2. Add and configure the replica and create availability group listener named AGL1 on port 1433
3. Enable SQL Server 2016 Always On Availability Group feature
4. Create the Always On Availability Group and select the user databases for the availability group
5. Select the Full data synchronization method and specify te network path: \DATA-CI1\SQL

As you can see Learning material states that you "2. Add and configure replica..." before you "3. Enable SQL Server ... AG feature"

This seems wrong to me - as I remember you should "2. Enable SQL Server ... AG feature" before actually creating availability group

Who is right - me or learning material ? Or both are wrong and steps should be rearranged differently ?

Answer 1

The learning material is incorrect. You have to enable the high availability feature and restart the SQL Server service before you can add a SQL Server to an availability group.

Answer 2

Microsoft documentation is pretty clear about this: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/availability-groups/windows/getting-started-with-always-on-availability-groups-sql-server?view=sql-server-ver15

You need to have your cluster set up first, then enable the Availability feature in the SQL configuration and then you can create the AG and the listener to finally add your DBs in the AG.