DH2i DxEnterprise for SDP-Enhanced Microsoft SQL Server Availability Groups (AGs) on Linux Now Available in AWS Marketplace

DH2i DxEnterprise for SDP-Enhanced Microsoft SQL Server Availability Groups (AGs) on Linux Now Available in AWS Marketplace

March 5, 2020 Off By David

DH2i announced that its DxEnterprise for SDP-enhanced Microsoft SQL Server Availability Groups (AGs) is now available for Linux on RHEL and Ubuntu in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS). SQL Server users can quickly and easily build SQL Server AGs on Linux for high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) that span across networks-including hybrid cloud implementations-with affordable, pay-as-you-go pricing. 

While running Microsoft SQL Server in the cloud offers many benefits, such as flexibility, speed, and cost control, it also presents limited options for high availability (HA). Due to storage considerations, SQL Server Availability Groups (AGs) is the preferred option. But, AGs are not highly available without the support of a clustering solution to ensure fault tolerance and automated failover. Most of the clustering solutions for AGs – such as Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) and Pacemaker – are difficult to configure and manage. They also restrict flexibility in terms of mixing platforms, sites and/or clouds, as well as running replicas across varying zones or regions because of networking complexities.

DxEnterprise uses its SDP-enhanced Microsoft SQL Server Availability Groups clustering technology to dramatically reduce the complexity of configuring and managing highly available SQL Server AGs on Linux. DxEnterprise makes AGs highly available across any infrastructure-all without relying on Pacemaker or any other cumbersome and restrictive cluster orchestration technologies. DxEnterprise provides advanced fault detection and failover automation to minimize outages for SQL Server databases, helping customers achieve nearest-to-zero total downtime. It supports Windows as well-even enabling cross-platform failover between Windows and Linux machines. DxEnterprise SDP-enhanced AGs also enable cross-network failover without opening external ports or the use of virtual private networks (VPNs). This can not only reduce the complexity and cost of running hybrid clusters between on-premises and AWS, it can also make it easier to take advantage of Microsoft’s SQL Server licensing rules that allow for “free” HA and DR secondary replicas for deployments with Software Assurance.

“DH2i’s DxEnterprise is a powerful clustering technology for delivering SQL Server high availability on Linux without the complexity of Pacemaker,” said Edwin Sarmiento, SQL Server MCM and Managing Director of training and consulting firm 15C. “I am particularly impressed with the software’s ability to build secure Availability Groups clusters across disparate networks without a VPN or open ports. DxEnterprise’s availability in AWS Marketplace can significantly help grow adoption of SQL Server on Linux, provide robust high availability for SQL Server cloud deployments, and enable a simplified hybrid cloud experience for AWS customers.”

“We are delighted that DxEnterprise is now available in AWS Marketplace,” said Don Boxley, DH2i CEO and Co-Founder. “DxEnterprise’s built-in SDP-enhanced AG support will enable AWS SQL Server customers to build unified high availability and disaster recovery environments that can span on-premises and the cloud-while reducing costs and network attack surfaces by eliminating unnecessary instances and VPN-related security risks.”

Access the DxEnterprise for Linux AWS AMIs from the following entries in AWS Marketplace (a free 15-day trial of DH2i DxEnterprise is also available for each):