Dedicated cluster nodes

Dedicated cluster nodes are virtual constructs that exist separately from the physical cluster nodes that are assigned to them.

Typically, dedicated cluster nodes are used in large enterprises that require an OLAP cluster node for each application. Dedicated cluster nodes can be combined with standard, non-dedicated, cluster nodes.

You dedicate a cluster node by specifying a cluster node alias in the Cluster Nodes widget. In the Databases widget, you select a cluster node alias to assign a database to a dedicated cluster node.

When you dedicate a cluster node, any load balancing rules and memory limits on that cluster node cease to apply.

The Cluster Nodes and Databases widgets are in both the Databases and Cluster Nodes dashboards.

These rules apply:

• A dedicated cluster node remains dedicated until the designation is removed. Assigned databases continue to be assigned until they are restarted. After restarting, the database resources are assigned by load balancing rules.
• If you remove a designation, its alias is removed. If, for example, you accidentally un-designate an alias, you must re-specify the alias.

• A database remains assigned to a dedicated cluster node until the assignment is removed and the database restarted.

  If the assignment is removed, and the database restarted, the database resources are assigned by load balancing rules.

• Unassigned databases are started on standard cluster nodes, determined by load balancing rules.
  Caution: 
  If the farm has only a single cluster node, and that cluster node is dedicated, then unassigned databases cannot be restarted until they are assigned to the cluster node.
• If a dedicated cluster node is not available, databases that are assigned to it do not start.