Download a supported version of Microsoft SQL Server Standard Edition software to the database servers.

Verify that none of the systems used in the cluster is a domain controller.

Verify that each computer is on the same network.

Verify that each computer is operating on a supported version of Microsoft Windows Server.

Open port 5022 and port 1433 in the firewall settings on each Microsoft Windows Server. See Opening a port in the Windows Firewall for TCP access.

When installing SQL Server on virtual machines, read VMware's best practices published at https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/solutions/sql-server-on-vmware-best-practices-guide.pdf. A summary of these recommendations includes:

• Store the database log files on a separate disk than the disk where you store database data files. It avoids I/O contention for the disk because the contention leads to poor performance.

• Install SQL Server on to the same disk where you install the Windows operating system.

Follow the installation instructions in the Microsoft SQL Server Installation Guide at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/install-windows/install-sql-server?view=sql-server-ver15.

During the installation, select the New SQL Server standalone installation or add features to an existing installation option.

Do not select the New SQL Server failover cluster installation option.

SQL Server Failover Cluster Installation is not supported for External Data Mart HA.

Ensure that you install Microsoft SQL Server Standard Edition on both SQL Servers.

Install SQL Server Management Studio on both SQL Servers. For installation instructions, go to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms?redirectedfrom=MSDN&view=sql-server-ver15.

Enable the AlwaysOn Availability Groups feature on both SQL Servers.