Database Backup from 2008 R2, Restore on 2012 Failover Cluster Instance I have a production database server having sql server 2008r2. This is an old server and considering our load, we are moving to a better hardware configuration, Now the new environment is a cluster environment on Win Server 2012 with single installation of SQL SERVER 2012.

My understanding of failover cluster environment is that same instance of sql server is there on both nodes and they get data from a shared SAN. Primary node remains active while secondary node remains idle till the time the primary node fails. Once the primary node fails, windows brings the secondary node as active.

Now i want to restore backup of 2008r2 database to this new sql server 2012 environment. Does this failover cluster impose any restrictions on this backup restore or will it be a normal backup restore operation. Please share your thoughts.
Does this failover cluster impose any restrictions on this backup restore or will it be a normal backup restore operation.


It will be a normal backup and restore operation (provided there are no other issues with the actual backup and/or restore).

The fact that you are going from a standalone instance to a failover cluster instance will not negatively affect an otherwise normal backup and restore.

The same rules will apply here, of course, as well as any other backup/restore operation regardless of standalone or FCI.