How to cluster the DTC service for an Always On availability group

Applies to: SQL Server - Windows only

This topic describes the requirements and steps for clustering the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC) service for Always On availability groups. For additional information regarding distributed transactions and Always On availability groups, see Cross-Database Transactions and Distributed Transactions for Always On Availability Groups and Database Mirroring (SQL Server).

Checklist: Preliminary Requirements

Task	Reference
Ensure all nodes, services and the Availability Group have been configured correctly.	Prerequisites, Restrictions, and Recommendations for Always On Availability Groups (SQL Server)
Ensure Availability Group DTC requirements have been met.	Cross-Database Transactions and Distributed Transactions for Always On Availability Groups and Database Mirroring (SQL Server)

Task	Reference
A shared-storage drive.	Configuring the Shared-Storage Drive. Consider using drive letter M.
A unique DTC Network Name resource. The name will be registered as a cluster computer object in Active Directory. Make sure that either of the following is true: • The user who creates the DTC Network Name resource has the Create Computer objects permission to the OU or the container where the DTC Network Name resource will reside. • If the user does not have the Create Computer objects permission, ask a domain administrator to prestage a cluster computer object for the DTC Network Name resource.	Prestage Cluster Computer Objects in Active Directory Domain Services
A valid available static IP address and the appropriate subnet mask for that IP address.

Once you have created your Availability Group resource, create a clustered DTC resource and add it to the Availability Group. A sample script can be seen at Create Clustered DTC for an Always On Availability Group.

Task	Reference
Enable network access securely for the clustered DTC resource.	Enable Network Access Securely for MS DTC
Stop and disable local DTC service.	Configure How a Service Is Started
Cycle the SQL Server service for each instance in the Availability Group. Failover the Availability Group as needed.	Perform a Planned Manual Failover of an Availability Group (SQL Server) Start, Stop, Pause, Resume, Restart the Database Engine, SQL Server Agent, or SQL Server Browser Service

If the server is Windows Server 2012 R2 the operating system must have KB 3030373 applied.
Prepare the servers for Availability Groups according to the checklists at Prerequisites, Restrictions, and Recommendations for Always On Availability Groups.
Configure the server instances for Always On Availability Groups.