Does SQL server start / stop automatically when virtual machine stops

Question

Does SQL server start / stop automatically when virtual machine stops

Swathi K 1

I'm trying to stop/start virtual machine in azure portal. Does sql server also get stopped/started automatically if virtual machine stopped? If virtual machine stops sql server automatically does it crash the sql server?

1 answer

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Answer 1

Ronen Ariely 15,206

Hi,

Does sql server also get stopped/started automatically if virtual machine stopped?

In short, when you shutdown/Restarting the machine in an ordinarily way then SQL Server should be stopped/started normally.

what happened in the background and what impact it will do when we Turn OFF or reboot the Azure VM from the portal Vs Turn OFF or reboot the VM from the operating system.

When we control the physical host machine of the VM then we can run Soft Shutdown/Reboot or Hard Shutdown/Reboot. A Soft Shutdown/Reboot action send instruction to the operating system of the VM to initiate a normal shutdown/reboot. In this case, the OS stop the internal services (like SQL Server) in an ordinarily way like we are running shutdown/reboot on physical machine.

As users in the Azure, we only have option to send a request for "Soft Shutdown/Reboot". If that action instruction to the operating system coming from the host is failed, then it might be to force Hard shutdown/reboot of the VM, but this is not the normal behavior.

When you stop a VM through Azure portal, Azure PowerShell, command-line interface, or REST API, rather than through the OS, it goes into a “Stopped (deallocated)” state. In this case it is first go through the step of shutdown/reboot the VM in an ordinarily way. It’s a soft shutdown/reboot.

Note that you can find the event in the Azure Activity Log and You can follow it a bit using the "Boot diagnostics" in the portal while the VM is still shut downing. There you might notice the messages like you see on local machine that you shutdown (for example if the OS doing an update).

What happen when SQL Server get the command to Shutdown

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/language-elements/shutdown-transact-sql?view=sql-server-ver16&WT.mc_id=DP-MVP-5001699

Swathi K 1 Reputation point

2022-12-01T12:54:17.26+00:00

I'm trying to stop VM through automation does it stop Microsoft sql server automatically? Here if VM failed will it crash Sql server?
Ronen Ariely 15,206 Reputation points

2022-12-01T12:58:05.843+00:00

I'm trying to stop VM through automation does it stop Microsoft sql server automatically?

I am not sure exactly what you do but a normal Shutdown of the VM should lead to a normal Shutdown of the SQL Server

Here if VM failed will it crash Sql server?

This is an option. I mentioned it above:

If that action instruction to the operating system coming from the host is failed, then it might be to force Hard shutdown/reboot of the VM, but this is not the normal behavior.
Ronen Ariely 15,206 Reputation points

2022-12-01T13:01:31.207+00:00
Your best practice is to monitor :-)

Monitor the actions in the SQL Server level using Extended Event and confirm that it was shootdown normally (or not)

Monitor the VM OS event

Monitor the VM from the host (Azure) level using Azure Activity Log
Swathi K 1 Reputation point

2022-12-01T13:05:58.463+00:00

I will explain you clearly,

I have to stop VM through task scheduler using powershell script. When I run task scheduler the VM will get stopped meanwhile will this stop sql server as well or do I need to run script manually for stop sql server? If yes when I have to execute script for stop sql before or after VM stop?
Ronen Ariely 15,206 Reputation points

2022-12-01T13:59:14.15+00:00

When windows OS gets command to stop, then SQL Server services get the command to stop by the operating system, like other services that run in the background. In this case, there is no need to stop the service of SQL Server manually.

I found a nice discussion focuses on this point. I recommend to go over it. There is no need for me to re-write what is describe there nice :-)

https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/48760/what-steps-are-necessary-to-safely-restart-a-machine-hosting-microsoft-sql-serve

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Does SQL server start / stop automatically when virtual machine stops

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what happened in the background and what impact it will do when we Turn OFF or reboot the Azure VM from the portal Vs Turn OFF or reboot the VM from the operating system.

What happen when SQL Server get the command to Shutdown

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