AD Shot Gyan: Configuring Microsoft Cluster on Windows Server 2008

This post is about configuring Microsoft Cluster on Windows Server 2008. You can also refer the following post on how to configure Microsoft Cluster on Windows Server 2003

Configuring Microsoft Cluster on Windows Server 2003
http://www.adshotgyan.com/2016/04/configuring-microsoft-cluster-on.html

Configuring Application (DFS) on Microsoft Cluster Windows 2003
http://www.adshotgyan.com/2016/04/configuring-application-dfs-on.html

Before you start reading this post, I would suggest you to go through the following post to know how the drives for this cluster configuration has been presented

Configuring SAN on Windows Server 2012
http://www.adshotgyan.com/2016/06/configuring-san-on-windows-server-2012.html

For this lab we will be using the following VM`s:-

- Domain Controller (DC3.ADShotGyan.com) (Windows 2008 R2)
- Node (Node3.ADShotGyan.com) (Windows 2008 R2)
- Node (Node4.ADShotGyan.com) (Windows 2008 R2)
- SAN (vSAN.ADShotGyan.com) (Windows 2012 R2)

In a Cluster, the two nodes should be able to contact each other on regular intervals. So that, In case one node fails, the other node will be able to take over. For the same purpose, every node should have two network adapters, with one network card DEDICATED for communication check between the two nodes. The communication check is known as Heartbeats. Cluster node sends regular heartbeats to the other node to check if the other node is alive. In case, the Heartbeat is not received. then one node assumes the other node to be down and take over the cluster by becoming an "Active Node"

On both the Nodes, We have configured two network adapters.

Public: For communication of a node with the rest of the machines / resources

Private: For communication of a node with the other node (Heartbeat)

Note: You can give any name to these network cards, Private and Public are given for simplicity purpose only

Public Network Adapter

None of the options on the network card will be unchecked

Provide an IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway and DNS on this Network Interface (Public)

Private Network Adapter

None of the options on the network card will be unchecked

Provide an IP address and a Subnet Mask. Do not assign a Default Gateway or DNS address

Also, do remember to uncheck the option "Register this connection address in DNS". If this option is checked, then the machine will register two IP address in DNS for the same name and that will cause conflict

Do disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP

In the binding order, make sure that the Public Network Adapter has a higher precedence then the Private Network Adapter

Same settings needs to be done on the other Node (Node4)

These two drives were presented from vSAN. Read the following article to know how they were presented

Configuring SAN on Windows Server 2012
http://www.adshotgyan.com/2016/06/configuring-san-on-windows-server-2012.html

For now, Both the drives will be available on both the nodes as currently none of the node is active

Lets start installing the Failover Clustering Feature

Installing the Failover Clustering Feature will not require a reboot

Failover Cluster Manager

As you can see, the new Failover Cluster Manager has been completely redesigned. We now have more features in this snap-in

The three options available in this snap-in are:-

- Validate a Configuration
- Create a Cluster
- Manage a Cluster

Lets start with Validating a Cluster Configuration

Validate a Configuration Wizard

Add both the nodes of the cluster (Node3 and Node4)

Validating a Cluster comprises of running few tests. You have an option to run all the test or few selected test

Lets select "Run only tests I select". This will show us which all test which it can run

- Inventory
- Network
- Storage
- System Configuration

Lets start the tests....

Once the tests are completed, it will generate a report. It seems that there are some warnings in this report (See the Yellow Exclamation Mark)

The warnings are for Storage

Somehow, it seems that the customer was unable to find the required storage (disks)

These reports are saved to the following location:-

C:\Windows\Cluster\Reports

On Node3 and on Node4, the disks are presented, however they are not initialized / online

Lets Initialize the Disks and bring them Online

Now run the wizard again...

During the time the wizard is running, it will check all the required disks on both the nodes and will bring them online/offline to check if the disks are available to both the nodes

Not only on Node3, On Node4 as well you will see the disk are brought online

On Node4, the Quorum Disk is brought online

Once the cluster wizard gets completed, it will generate a report

This time it seems that it has passed all the tests :)

Lets now create the cluster

Enter the name of both the Nodes (Node3 and Node4)

This is the most important screen...

Firstly, you have to specify the name of the cluster. This cluster name will be created as a COMPUTER account in Active Directory.

Secondly, you have to specify the IP address of the Public and Private Network. These IP address will NOT be the same as that of either of the two nodes of this cluster. The IP address mentioned here in this window will be DIFFERENT and Unique as these IP address will not be for the Node (Node3 or Node4) but for the CLUSTERNAME (Win2k8Cluster)

In Active Directory Users and Computers, we have the ClusterName (Win2k8Cluster) created as a computer account

In DNS, we have the IP address assigned to Node3, Node4 and to the ClusterName

Also note that the IP address of the range 10.10.10.0 hasnt been assigned as we have unchecked the option "Register this connection address in DNS" for the Private Network (10.10.10.0)