In this blog post, we will discuss a common issue that many users face while installing SQL Server Cluster on Windows. The problem occurs when the SQL Server cluster setup creates a network name resource in failover cluster manager, but fails to bring it online. The error message that appears during the setup is:
“The cluster resource ‘SQL Server (SQLSQL)’ could not be brought online due to an error bringing the dependency resource ‘SQL Network Name (SAPSQL)’ online. Refer to the Cluster Events in the Failover Cluster Manager for more information.”
Upon checking the event log, we found the following message (event ID 1194):
“Cluster network name resource ‘SQL Network Name (SAPSQL)’ failed to create its associated computer object in domain ‘internal.sqlauthority.com’ during: Resource online. The text for the associated error code is: A constraint violation occurred.”
This error is often misunderstood as an “Access is denied” message, but it is actually caused by the domain admin account not being used to create a computer object for SQL in Active Directory (AD). When a network name is created in a cluster, it contacts the AD domain controller via the Windows Cluster Network name computer account, also known as CNO (Cluster Network Object).
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
- Log in to the domain controller machine as a domain admin.
- Open the Active Directory Users and Computers UI by going to Start > Run > dsa.msc.
- Under the View menu, choose Advanced Features.
- If the SQL Virtual Server name is already created, search for it. Otherwise, go to the appropriate OU and create a new computer object [VCO] under it.
- Right-click on the new object created and click Properties.
- On the Security tab, click Add.
- Click Object Types and make sure that Computers is selected, then click OK.
- Type the name of the CNO and click OK.
- Select the CNO and under Permissions, click Allow for Full Control permissions.
- Disable the VCO by right-clicking on it. This is also known as pre-staging of the VCO.
After following these steps, click on the retry option in the setup. The installation should continue and complete successfully.
We hope that this blog post has provided a helpful solution for those encountering the “A Constraint Violation Occurred” error during SQL Server Cluster installation. By following the steps outlined above, you can save time and resolve the issue without waiting for additional assistance. If you have encountered this problem before, we would love to hear about your experience.
Thank you for reading!