Installing SCCM using SQL Server 2012 AlwaysOn Availability Groups

Configuration Manager 1602 introduced the support of SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups
AlwaysOn Availability Groups provide high availability for multiple databases, and they can make use of multiple secondary replicas. Each secondary SQL Server replica has its own copy of the protected databases. AlwaysOn Availability Groups continuously synchronize transactions from the primary replica to each of the secondary replicas. This replication can be configured as synchronous or asynchronous to support local high availability or remote disaster recovery.

In this guide I used lab consisting of 2 SQL servers 2012 (SQL and SQL1) which will be member nodes of windows cluster named SQLCluster,1 machine where SCCM server 1602 will be installed,SCCM will be using Always on availability group instance named HA.Because this is lab environment,sccm server will be iSCSI target for SQL and SQL1,but in production environment iSCSI target should be dedicated machine

Installing windows iSCSI target
Install iSCSI Target Server role:

Add 2 or more HDD’s,initialize it and format as NTFS partitions then create iSCSI disk

Select disk,click next,choose Size and click Next again

New-iSCSI target:

Click Add to specify which hosts can access this iSCSi target:

I added sql and sql1 (192.168.0.12/13)

Repeat same procedure for other disk(s)
Now on future cluster members (SQL and SQL1) from control panel click iSCSi initiator

In targets type IP of iSCSI target server-Quick connect

Initialize new disks and format it as NTFS on SQL and SQL1
Now,on both servers install Failover cluster features

On either SQL and SQL1 open Cluster manager-Validate cluster

Add both servers:

Run full tests

Click Finish,create cluster wizard opens automatically,enter unused cluster name and unused IP.
If all went well,cluster is created and cluster computer name and IP address will be added automatically

Now on both nodes install SQL server (standalone installation)

Note!!,on another node repeat the same procedure but DON’T install reporting server feature
(because Reporting Server/Reporting SeverTemp database will be configured for replication)
Now,when SQL server is installed on both nodes (SQL and SQL1),let’s create Always on Availability group)
First,we need to enable this feature,on both node do the same procedure:
add SCCM computer account to local Administrator group:

In SQL server configuration manager,right click on SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)-properties

Check Enable AlwaysOn Availability Groups and the restart MSSQLSER service)

Now on node when Reporting services node is installed,open SQL server management studio,right click
Reporting Server database-Properties-Options-Recovery Model-Full

Again,right click ReportingsServer database-Task-BackUp

Choose path and select OK

Repeat same procedure for ReportServerTemp database,these are conditions for database to be added to replication group

Now right click AlwaysOn High Availability-New Availability Group Wizard

Set a name and click next,choose databases and click next again

Click Add replica

Type name of second node (where these 2 databases will be replicated) and click OK

Enable automatic failover and set readability of database copy on secondary site to Yes

Choose shared folder where wizard will copy databases chosen for replication and then restore them on
Secondary site.Note!!,on this shared folder give computer cluster account (SQLCluster- created by new cluster wizard) full NTFS permission

Now we need to create Availability Group Listener,it’s virtual DNS name and IP address which will be mapped to this Availability group.When install SCCM server this name will be submitted to SCCM wizard when we are prompted for SQL server where SCCM database will be installed.Right click on Availability Group listener-Add listener

Type unused DNS name and IP address (the same procedure as when you created windows cluster at the beginning)

Installing SCCM
When prompted for SQL server name type in name of Availability group listener

And network location for database backup

After installation SCCM database will be automatically added  to availability group

In SCCM console,listener,and both nodes are shown