New-SqlAvailabilityGroup

Creates an availability group.

Syntax

New-SqlAvailabilityGroup
   -AvailabilityReplica <AvailabilityReplica[]>
   [-Database <String[]>]
   [-AutomatedBackupPreference <AvailabilityGroupAutomatedBackupPreference>]
   [-FailureConditionLevel <AvailabilityGroupFailureConditionLevel>]
   [-HealthCheckTimeout <Int32>]
   [-BasicAvailabilityGroup]
   [-ContainedAvailabilityGroup]
   [-ReuseSystemDatabases]
   [-DatabaseHealthTrigger]
   [-DtcSupportEnabled]
   [-ClusterType <AvailabilityGroupClusterType>]
   [-RequiredSynchronizedSecondariesToCommit <Int32>]
   [-Name] <String>
   [[-Path] <String>]
   [-Script]
   [-AccessToken <PSObject>]
   [-TrustServerCertificate]
   [-HostNameInCertificate <String>]
   [-Encrypt <String>]
   [-ProgressAction <ActionPreference>]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]
New-SqlAvailabilityGroup
   -AvailabilityReplica <AvailabilityReplica[]>
   [-Database <String[]>]
   [-AutomatedBackupPreference <AvailabilityGroupAutomatedBackupPreference>]
   [-FailureConditionLevel <AvailabilityGroupFailureConditionLevel>]
   [-HealthCheckTimeout <Int32>]
   [-BasicAvailabilityGroup]
   [-ContainedAvailabilityGroup]
   [-ReuseSystemDatabases]
   [-DatabaseHealthTrigger]
   [-DtcSupportEnabled]
   [-ClusterType <AvailabilityGroupClusterType>]
   [-RequiredSynchronizedSecondariesToCommit <Int32>]
   [-Name] <String>
   [-InputObject] <Server>
   [-Script]
   [-AccessToken <PSObject>]
   [-TrustServerCertificate]
   [-HostNameInCertificate <String>]
   [-Encrypt <String>]
   [-ProgressAction <ActionPreference>]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The New-SqlAvailabilityGroup cmdlet creates an availability group in Always On Availability Groups.

The InputObject or Path parameter specifies the server that hosts the initial primary replica.

Module requirements: version 21+ on PowerShell 5.1; version 22+ on PowerShell 7.x.

Examples

Example 1: Create an Availability Group

PS C:\> $PrimaryServer = Get-Item "SQLSERVER:\SQL\PrimaryServer\Instance22"
PS C:\> $SecondaryServer = Get-Item "SQLSERVER:\SQL\SecondaryServer\Instance22"
PS C:\> $PrimaryReplica = New-SqlAvailabilityReplica -Name "PrimaryServer\Instance22" -EndpointUrl "TCP://PrimaryServer.domain:5022" -FailoverMode "Automatic" -AvailabilityMode "SynchronousCommit" -AsTemplate -Version ($PrimaryServer.Version)
PS C:\> $SecondaryReplica = New-SqlAvailabilityReplica -Name "SecondaryServer\Instance22" -EndpointUrl "TCP://SecondaryServer.domain:5022" -FailoverMode "Automatic" -AvailabilityMode "SynchronousCommit" -AsTemplate -Version ($SecondaryServer.Version) 
PS C:\> New-SqlAvailabilityGroup -InputObject $PrimaryServer -Name "MainAG" -AvailabilityReplica ($PrimaryReplica, $SecondaryReplica) -Database @("Database01","Database02")

The first command gets an instance of SQL Server on the primary server, and then stores it in the $PrimaryServer variable.

The fourth command creates a replica that includes the secondary server instance by using New-SqlAvailabilityReplica, and then stores it in the $SecondaryReplica variable.

The command specifies the version of the server instance by using the Version property of $SecondaryServer.

Example 2: Create an Availability Group backed by WSFC

# Get server
PS C:\> cd 'SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default'
PS SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default> $server = Get-Item $PWD

# Create primary replica
PS SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default> $primaryReplica = New-SqlAvailabilityReplica -Name 'some-hostname' -EndpointUrl 'tcp://some-hostname:5022' -FailoverMode Automatic -AvailabilityMode SynchronousCommit -AsTemplate

# Create AG with explicit cluster type WSFC (same as not passing -ClusterType, since it is the default value)
PS SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default> $server | New-SqlAvailabilityGroup -Name 'ag1' -AvailabilityReplica $PrimaryReplica -Script -ClusterType Wsfc

Example 3: Create an availability groups cluster independent

# Get server
PS C:\> CD 'SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default'
PS SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default> $server = Get-Item $PWD

# Create primary replica
PS SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default> $primaryReplica = New-SqlAvailabilityReplica -Name 'some-hostname' -EndpointUrl 'tcp://some-hostname:5022' -FailoverMode Automatic -AvailabilityMode SynchronousCommit -AsTemplate

# Create AG cluster group independent
PS SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default> $server | New-SqlAvailabilityGroup -Name 'ag1' -AvailabilityReplica $PrimaryReplica -Script -ClusterType None

Example 4: Create an availability groups setting the number of SYNCHRONOUS_COMMIT secondaries that must be available for transactions to commit on the primary

# Get server
PS C:\> Get-Item 'SQLSERVER:\SQL\some-hostname\Default'
# Create primary replica
PS C:\> $primaryReplica = New-SqlAvailabilityReplica -Name 'some-hostname' -EndpointUrl 'tcp://some-hostname:5022' -FailoverMode Automatic -AvailabilityMode SynchronousCommit -AsTemplate
# Create AG with RequiredSynchronizedSecondariesToCommit = 3
PS C:\> $server | New-SqlAvailabilityGroup -Name 'ag1' -AvailabilityReplica $PrimaryReplica -RequiredSynchronizedSecondariesToCommit 3

Note: An exception will be thrown if the -RequiredSynchronizedSecondariesToCommit parameter is used when the target server version is SQL Server 2016 or lower.

Parameters

-AccessToken

The access token used to authenticate to SQL Server, as an alternative to user/password or Windows Authentication.

This can be used, for example, to connect to SQL Azure DB and SQL Azure Managed Instance using a Service Principal or a Managed Identity.

The parameter to use can be either a string representing the token or a PSAccessToken object as returned by running Get-AzAccessToken -ResourceUrl https://database.windows.net.

This parameter is new in v22 of the module.

Type:PSObject
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-AutomatedBackupPreference

Specifies the automated backup preference for the availability group.

The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Primary. Specifies that the backups always occur on the primary replica. This option supports the use of features not available when backup runs on a secondary replica, such as differential backups.
  • SecondaryOnly. Specifies that backups are never performed on primary replicas. If the primary replica is the only replica online, the backup does not occur.
  • Secondary. Specifies that backups occur on secondary replicas, unless the primary replica is the only replica online. Then the backup occurs on the primary replica.
  • None. Specifies that the primary or secondary status is not taken into account when deciding which replica performs backups. Instead, backup priority and online status determine which replica performs backups.
Type:AvailabilityGroupAutomatedBackupPreference
Accepted values:Primary, SecondaryOnly, Secondary, None, Unknown
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-AvailabilityReplica

Specifies an array of availability replicas that this cmdlet includes in the availability group. To obtain an AvailabilityReplica, use the New-SqlAvailabilityReplica cmdlet. Specify the AsTemplate parameter.

Type:AvailabilityReplica[]
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-BasicAvailabilityGroup

Specifies whether to create an advanced (default) or a basic availability group.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-ClusterType

The type of cluster backing the AG. Possible values are:

  • Wsfc. The AG will be integrated in Windows Server Failover Cluster. This is how AGs in SQL Server 2016 and below are created. This is the default.
  • None. The AG will be cluster-independent.
  • External. The AG will be managed by a cluster manager that is not a Windows Server Failover Cluster, like Pacemaker on Linux. This is supported in SQL Server 2017 and above. When targeting SQL Server on Linux, you must specify this value or an error will occour.

Note: An exception will be thrown if the -ClusterType parameter is used when the target server is SQL Server 2016 and below.

Type:AvailabilityGroupClusterType
Accepted values:Wsfc, None, External
Position:Named
Default value:Wsfc
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:cf
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-ContainedAvailabilityGroup

Used to create a contained availability group. This option is used to create an availability group with its own master and msdb databases, which are kept in sync across the set of replicas in the availability group. This parameter may be used with its companion -ReuseSystemDatabases.

This parameter is allowed only when the target SQL Server supports Contained Availability Groups (SQL 2022 and above). Trying to use is against versions of SQL that do not support Contained Availability Groups would cause the cmdlet to throw an error.

This parameter is only available in version 22+ of the module.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Database

Specifies an array of local, read/write user databases. These databases must use the full recovery model and must not use AUTO_CLOSE. These databases cannot belong to another availability group and cannot be configured for database mirroring. You must specify a value for this parameter.

Type:String[]
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-DatabaseHealthTrigger

Specifies whether to trigger an automatic failover of the availability group if any user database replica within an availability group encounters a database failure condition.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-DtcSupportEnabled

Specifies whether databases within an availability group register with MSDTC at the instance-level (default) or at the per-database level.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Encrypt

The encryption type to use when connecting to SQL Server.

This value maps to the Encrypt property SqlConnectionEncryptOption on the SqlConnection object of the Microsoft.Data.SqlClient driver.

In v22 of the module, the default is Optional (for compatibility with v21). In v23+ of the module, the default value will be 'Mandatory', which may create a breaking change for existing scripts.

This parameter is new in v22 of the module.

Type:String
Accepted values:Mandatory, Optional, Strict
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-FailureConditionLevel

Specifies the automatic failover behavior of the availability group. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • OnServerDown. Failover or restart if the SQL Server service stops.
  • OnServerUnresponsive. Failover or restart if any condition of lower value is satisfied, plus when the SQL Server service is connected to the cluster and the HealthCheckTimeout threshold is exceeded, or if the availability replica currently in primary role is in a failed state.
  • OnCriticalServerError. Failover or restart if any condition of lower value is satisfied, plus when an internal critical Server error occurs, which include out of memory condition, serious write-access violation, or too much dumping.
  • OnModerateServerError. Failover or restart if any condition of lower value is satisfied, plus if a moderate Server error occurs, which includes persistent out of memory condition.
  • OnAnyQualifiedFailureConditions. Failover or restart if any condition of lower value is satisfied, plus if a qualifying failure condition occurs, which includes engine worker thread exhaustion and unsolvable deadlock detected.
Type:AvailabilityGroupFailureConditionLevel
Accepted values:OnServerDown, OnServerUnresponsive, OnCriticalServerErrors, OnModerateServerErrors, OnAnyQualifiedFailureCondition, Unknown
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-HealthCheckTimeout

Specifies the length of time, in milliseconds, after which Always On availability groups declare an unresponsive server to be unhealthy.

Type:Int32
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-HostNameInCertificate

The host name to be used in validating the SQL Server TLS/SSL certificate. You must pass this parameter if your SQL Server instance is enabled for Force Encryption and you want to connect to an instance using hostname/shortname. If this parameter is omitted then passing the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) to -ServerInstance is necessary to connect to a SQL Server instance enabled for Force Encryption.

This parameter is new in v22 of the module.

Type:String
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-InputObject

Specifies the instance of SQL Server that hosts the primary replica of the availability group that this cmdlet creates.

Type:Server
Position:2
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Name

Specifies the name of the availability group that this cmdlet creates.

Type:String
Position:1
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Path

Specifies the path of the instance of SQL Server that hosts the initial primary replica of the availability group that this cmdlet creates. If you do not specify this parameter, this cmdlet uses current working location. If you specify a value, the path must currently exist.

Type:String
Position:2
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-ProgressAction

Determines how PowerShell responds to progress updates generated by a script, cmdlet, or provider, such as the progress bars generated by the Write-Progress cmdlet. The Write-Progress cmdlet creates progress bars that show a command's status.

Type:ActionPreference
Aliases:proga
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-RequiredSynchronizedSecondariesToCommit

The number of synchronous commit secondaries that must be available to be able to commit on the primary.

If a SYNCHRONOUS_COMMIT secondary is disconnected from the primary for some time, the primary demotes it to ASYNCHRONOUS_COMMIT to avoid blocking commits. If the primary then becomes unavailable and the user wishes to fail over to one of these secondaries, they may incur data loss. By setting RequiredSynchronizedSecondariesToCommit to some number, the user can prevent the data loss since the primary will start blocking commits if too many secondaries are demoted to ASYNCHRONOUS_COMMIT.

The default value of this setting is 0, which means the primary will never block commits. This is identical to the behavior before SQL Server 2017.

Type:Int32
Position:Named
Default value:0
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-ReuseSystemDatabases

This parameter causes the contained master and msdb databases from a prior version of the AG to be used in the creation of this new availability group.

Trying to use this parameter without specifying -ContainedAvailabilityGroup is not allowed would cause the cmdlet to throw an error.

This parameter is only available in version 22+ of the module.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Script

Indicates that this cmdlet returns a Transact-SQL script that performs the task that this cmdlet performs.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-TrustServerCertificate

Indicates whether the channel will be encrypted while bypassing walking the certificate chain to validate trust.

In v22 of the module, the default is $true (for compatibility with v21). In v23+ of the module, the default value will be '$false', which may create a breaking change for existing scripts.

This parameter is new in v22 of the module.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:wi
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server

You can pass a server instance to this cmdlet.

Outputs

Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.AvailabilityGroup

This cmdlet returns an availability group.