SQL 2014 Availability Group with Windows 2016 Cloud Witness

Install SQL 2014

SQL needs to be installed on each Windows 2016 Server

1. Start the SQL 2014 Enterprise installer
   
2. Most of the screens can be continued through.  On the feature selection select 'SQL Server Replication' and management tools
   
   
3. Feel free to change the instance or leave default
   
4. Configure the service account to run SQL along with adjusting service startup option
   
5. Configure SQL access.  I chose mixed mode.
   
6. Continue through the prompts

Configure SQL Service

Adjust the SQL instance so it can join the cluster.

1. Run 'SQL Server 2014 Configuration' from the start menu and select 'SQL Server Services'
2. View the properties of 'SQL Server'
   
3. Select the 'AlwaysOn High Availabilty' tab and place a check in 'Enable 'AlwaysOn Availability Groups' and hit OK
   
4. Restart the SQL server service
   

Create Database Backup

For this example I created a single database called 'testag' running only on the first node.  A backup is required to place in a availability group.

1. Start the backup wizard on the database
   
2. Run the backup with all defaults and location of your choice
   
3. Verify backup is complete
   

Create Temporary Windows Share

The availability group wizard needs a Windows share that is accessible to all nodes where it will copy the backup files needed while setting up the group.  This share is only used when the group is created.

1. Create a folder on the first node or use an existing path that will have access.  I used 'C:\TempShare'
   
   
   

Create SQL 2014 Availability Group

1. Run the 'New Availability Group Wizard'
   
2. Select the name for the availability group.
   
3. Select the database to add to the group. (A backup must be created before this step.)
   
4. Add replicas.  In this case I only have two replicas but again feel free to add the third.  Verify 'Synchronous' is selected.
   
5. Select the share path created earlier
   
   
   
6. AG will now create.