1. Review the details about networks in Hardware Requirements for a Two-Node Failover Cluster and Network infrastructure and domain account requirements for a two-node failover cluster, earlier in this guide.

2. Connect and configure the networks that the servers in the cluster will use.

3. If your test configuration includes clients or a non-clustered domain controller, make sure that these computers can connect to the clustered servers through at least one network.

4. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for physically connecting the servers to the storage.

5. Ensure that the disks (LUNs) that you want to use in the cluster are exposed to the servers that you will cluster (and only those servers). You can use any of the following interfaces to expose disks or LUNs:

· The interface provided by the manufacturer of the storage.

· If you are using iSCSI, an appropriate iSCSI interface.

· Microsoft Storage Manager for SANs (part of the operating system in Windows Server 2008). To use this interface, you need to contact the manufacturer of your storage for a Virtual Disk Service (VDS) provider package that is designed for your storage.

6. If you have purchased software that controls the format or function of the disk, follow instructions from the vendor about how to use that software with Windows Server 2008.

7. On one of the servers that you want to cluster, click Start, click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, and then click Disk Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.) In Disk Management, confirm that the cluster disks are visible.

8. If you want to have a storage volume larger than 2 terabytes, and you are using the Windows interface to control the format of the disk, convert that disk to the partition style called GUID partition table (GPT). To do this, back up any data on the disk, delete all volumes on the disk and then, in Disk Management, right-click the disk (not a partition) and click Convert to GPT Disk.

For volumes smaller than 2 terabytes, instead of using GPT, you can use the partition style called master boot record (MBR).

Important

You can use either MBR or GPT for a disk that is used by a failover cluster, but you cannot use a disk that you converted to dynamic by using Disk Management.

If you purchased software that controls the format or function of the disk, contact the vendor for instructions about how to use that software with Windows Server 2008.

9. Check the format of any exposed volume or LUN. We recommend NTFS for the format (for the witness disk, you must use NTFS).

1. If you recently installed Windows Server 2008, the Initial Configuration Tasks interface is displayed, as shown in the following illustration.

Initial Configuration Tasks

If this interface is displayed, under Customize This Server, click Add features. Then skip to step 3.

2. If the Initial Configuration Tasks interface is not displayed and Server Manager is not running, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

Server Manager

In Server Manager, under Features Summary, click Add Features.

3. In the Add Features Wizard, click Failover Clustering, and then click Install.

4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the installation of the feature. When the wizard finishes, close it.

5. Repeat the process for each server that you want to include in the cluster.

1. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

Failover Cluster Management snap-in

2. Confirm that Failover Cluster Management is selected and then, in the center pane under Management, click Validate a Configuration.

Validate a Configuration Wizard

3. Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify the two servers and the tests, and then run the tests. To fully validate your configuration, run all tests before creating a cluster.

4. The Summary page appears after the tests run. To view Help topics that will help you interpret the results, click More about cluster validation tests.

5. While still on the Summary page, click View Report and read the test results.

To view the results of the tests after you close the wizard, see

SystemRoot\Cluster\Reports\Validation Report date and time.html

where SystemRoot is the folder in which the operating system is installed (for example, C:\Windows).

6. As necessary, make changes in the configuration and rerun the tests.

7. To view Help topics about cluster validation after you close the wizard, in Failover Cluster Management, click Help, click Help Topics, click the Contents tab, expand the contents for the failover cluster Help, and click Validating a Failover Cluster Configuration.

1. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

2. Confirm that Failover Cluster Management is selected and then, in the center pane under Management, click Create a cluster.

Create Cluster Wizard

Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify:

· The servers to include in the cluster.

· The name of the cluster.

· Any IP address information that is not automatically supplied by your DHCP settings.

3. After the wizard runs and the Summary page appears, to view a report of the tasks the wizard performed, click View Report.

1. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

2. In the console tree, if the cluster that you created is not displayed, right-click Failover Cluster Management, click Manage a Cluster, and then select the cluster you want to configure.

3. In the console tree, click the plus sign next to the cluster that you created to expand the items underneath it.

4. If the clustered servers are connected to a network that is not to be used for network communication in the cluster (for example, a network intended only for iSCSI), then under Networks, right-click that network, click Properties, and then click Do not allow the cluster to use this network. Click OK.

5. Click Services and Applications. Under Actions (on the right), click Configure a Service or Application.

High Availability Wizard

6. Review the text on the first page of the wizard, and then click Next.

List of Services and Applications in the High Availability Wizard

7. Click File Server, and then click Next.

8. Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify the following details:

· A name for the clustered file server

· Any IP address information that is not automatically supplied by your DHCP settings—for example, a static IPv4 address for this clustered file server

· The storage volume or volumes that the clustered file server should use

9. After the wizard runs and the Summary page appears, to view a report of the tasks the wizard performed, click View Report.

10. To close the wizard, click Finish.

11. In the console tree, make sure Services and Applications is expanded, and then select the clustered file server that you just created.

12. Under Actions, click Add a shared folder.

The Provision a Shared Folder Wizard appears. This is the same wizard that you would use to provision a share on a nonclustered file server.

13. Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify the following settings for the shared folder:

· Path and name.

· NTFS permissions (optional).

· Advanced settings for the SMB protocol (optional). SMB is used by Windows-based clients. The settings include:

- User limits.

- Offline settings (caching).

- Access-based enumeration, described in Shared folders in a failover cluster, earlier in this guide.

· Whether the NFS protocol will be used, for support of UNIX-based clients (optional).

14. After completing the wizard, confirm that the clustered file server comes online. If it does not, review the state of the networks and storage and correct any issues. Then right-click the new clustered file server and click Bring this service or application online.

15. To perform a basic test of failover, right-click the clustered file server, click Move this service or application to another node, and click the available choice of node. When prompted, confirm your choice.

You can observe the status changes in the center pane of the snap-in as the clustered file server instance is moved.