SQL Server Mirroring is a solution that helps increase your database's availability. Mirroring involves creating an identical copy of the data on another server, called the mirror server. This allows that, in case of a failure in the principal server, the mirror server can immediately take over, ensuring the continuity of operations.
The primary difference between SQL Server Mirroring and server clustering, or Clustering, is that Clustering is a solution that enhances the availability of the server as a whole, not just the database. Clustering uses two or more linked servers working together as a single system to provide high availability and redundancy.
Always On, on the other hand, is a feature of SQL Server that combines Clustering's high availability with SQL Server Mirroring's data protection. This feature allows you to have multiple replicas of your database on different servers, ready to take over in case of a failure. Additionally, the replicas can be used to distribute the read workload, improving performance.
In summary, while SQL Server Mirroring is a solution focused on database availability, Clustering is focused on server availability, and Always On combines the best of both worlds, offering high availability and data protection.
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