It is possible to setup SQL Server AlwaysOn without Windows Failover Clustering. The feature “Windows Failover Cluster” does not need to be installed on the server. There will still be Primary and Secondary AlwaysOn servers. This setup is useful when you do not need failover, but simply to setup for a read-only secondary server.
Note: If AlwaysOn Failover is not needed, do not install the “Windows Failover Cluster” feature.
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