12

The Database Mirroring feature of SQL Server is going to die:

This feature will be removed in a future version of Microsoft SQL Server. Avoid using this feature in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use this feature. Use AlwaysOn Availability Groups instead.

Anyone knows when? What are my options for an High Availability (and quick recovery) database?

Improve this question
2
  • 1
    It's not going to die just yet. It is not yet public in which future version it won't be available in the product any more, and what the options will be. AG is not available in standard ed, will it be, noone knows.
    – dean
    Apr 9, 2014 at 10:17
  • 1
    AG not being available in the Standard Edition is an important detail. Thanks.
    – John Assymptoth
    Apr 9, 2014 at 10:59

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
5

As noted, mirroring is not dead. (At least not yet.) The general population doubts that Microsoft would totally abandon HA for Standard Edition.

However, there are other methods. In the SQL Server 2012 documentation when referring to mirroring it says: "If your edition of SQL Server does not support AlwaysOn Availability Groups, use log shipping."

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143729.aspx

There is plenty of instruction on using log shipping.

EDIT: You might read Kin's links at: SQL Server Log Shipping: File copy options?

Improve this answer
4

Basic Availability Groups available in Standard Editions of SQL Servers 2016 forms a like to like replacement of Database Mirroring and has exact similar features.

Both available for Standard Editions

Only Primary Replica Database will be accessible Databases cannot be failed over in groups as Basic AG can have only 1 DB per group

And Enterprise Editions obviously have the complete Availability Groups as a full fledged feature to provide HA.

Microsoft hasn't announce the retirement date of Database Mirroring hence it is expected to be in at least two of the future editions after SQL Server 2016.

Improve this answer
2

Mirroring isn't dead, and that concern isn't a very good reason to move away from it. As of SQL Server 2014 it's still there, so there's no cause for concern until you start to look at moving off of 2014 to a newer version. With 2014 only being 9 days old, that should be a while.

If you still want to see your other high availability options, look at the features each edition supports. Your choices will vary according to what you paid for. Here's a link to that document: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645993(v=sql.120).aspx

AlwaysOn will give you more functionality, but at the cost of purchasing Enterprise Edition.

Improve this answer
3
  • 2
    I disagree with your first paragraph. Expending effort now to save yourself pain in the future is always the better choice. I'd much rather take the time to make good design decisions well in advance than be pressured in to a rushed job under an impending End-of-life deadline in a few years.
    – Andrew Brennan
    Apr 9, 2014 at 14:08
  • The problem is if you want the capability to failover automatically then you have few choices if you're on standard edition. This could be the best tool for the job here. Also, something like this is a quick, easy change when going to a new version since nothing is actually built on top of it.
    – Steve Hood
    Apr 9, 2014 at 14:25
  • 1
    @AndrewBrennan But at what point are you over-architecting for a problem you're most likely not going to face, when you could spend that time writing code which will be useful to your employer or yourself today and start using it right away? There's several other HA options but mirroring really is one of the easiest and best ones out there. Mirroring also doesn't require too much 'learning' if you're going High Performance mode assuming you are monitoring it correctly. Therefore, looking at the fact that HA options will be different when mirroring is gone, why waste the time?
    – Ali Razeghi - AWS
    Apr 9, 2014 at 17:50

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.