Mirroring allows the user to create an exact copy of a database on a different server.

The mirrored database must reside on different instance of SQL Server Database engine.

High Performance mode with safety OFF (asynchronous data transfer) database snapshots Use of multiple threads for replaying the transaction log on the mirror database (parallel REDO).

The principal database must be in the FULL recovery model. Log records that result from bulk-logged operations cannot be sent to the mirror database.

The mirror database must have the same name as the principal database.

The mirror database must be initialized from a restore of the principal database with NORECOVERY, followed by restores in sequence of principal transaction log backups.
Because the mirror database is in a recovering state, it cannot be accessed directly. You can create database snapshots on the mirror to indirectly read the mirror database at a point in time. (See 'Database Mirroring and Database Snapshots' later in this paper.)

SYNCHRONOUS MODE(High Safety Mode)

ASYNCHRONOUS MODE(High Performance Mode)

This is also called as High Safety Mode. -- in this mode, every transaction applied to the principal will also be committed on the mirror server. The transaction on the principal will be released only when it is also committed on the mirror. High safety mode with/without automatic failover.

This is also known as the high performance mode. --Here performance is achieved at the coat of availability. In this mode ,the principal server sends log information to the mirror server, without waiting for an acknowledgement from the mirror server. This mode allows the principal server to run with minimum transaction latency & does not allow the user to use automatic failover.

CLUSTER

MIRRORING

System scope Certified hardware Fast failover No reporting on standby Single copy of the database

Database scope Standard servers Fastest failover Limited reporting on standby Duplicate copy of database