Failover Clustering in Windows Server 2008

R2
White Paper
Published: April 2009
For the latest information, please see:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/failover-clustering-main.aspx
Page #1
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Table of Contents
+verview..........................................................................................................................
*ntrodu"ing Windows Server 2008 R2..................................................................!
A 'rie$ +verview o$ Failover Clustering...............................................................!
Failover Clustering in Windows Server 2008.............................................................8
Sipli#ed Setup and &igration............................................................................. 8
'uilt9in Cluster :alidation Tool............................................................................. 11
&ultiple9Site Clusters............................................................................................ 12
Storage *proveents......................................................................................... 1"
.ew 'a"(up and Restore Fun"tionalit!..............................................................1
-nhan"ed Se"urit! Features................................................................................1
S"alabilit!................................................................................................................ 1#
-6panded .etwor(ing Fun"tionalit!...................................................................1#
Cluster Troubleshooting........................................................................................ 1$
.ew $or Failover Clustering in Windows Server 2008 R2......................................18
-nhan"ed :alidation.............................................................................................. 18
Windows PowerShell Cdlets..............................................................................18
Read9+nl! Appli"ation Prograing *nter$a"es..............................................1%
.etwor( Prioriti<ation............................................................................................ 1%
-TW 0ogging Channels......................................................................................... 1%
*proved &igration o$ Cluster Wor(loads.........................................................1%
Support $or Additional Clustered Servi"es.........................................................20
Failover Clustering and 2!per9:.................................................................................21
Cluster Shared :olues....................................................................................... 21
0ive &igration......................................................................................................... 2
Suar!........................................................................................................................ 2!
Related 0in(s................................................................................................................. 2#
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Overview
The world is now a =2>6?@ global ar(etpla"e) and (eeping ission9"riti"al
appli"ations) servi"es) and data highl! available around the "lo"( is a priar!
ob7e"tive o$ su""ess$ul *T departents% There is an in"reasing relian"e on
te"hnolog! $or business operations) and organi<ations depend on their
s!stes to be =up@ at all ties% When servi"es are down) business "ontinuit!
is interrupted) resulting in signi#"ant losses $or an organi<ation% *T
departents reali<e that high availabilit! should be designed into s!stes up
$ront) not added sipl! as an a$terthought%
Windows Server Failover Clustering 4WSFC5 is a $eature that "an help ensure
that an organi<ationAs "riti"al appli"ations and servi"es) su"h as e9ail)
databases) or line9o$9business appli"ations) are available whenever the! are
needed% Clustering "an help build redundan"! into an in$rastru"ture and
eliinate single points o$ $ailure% This) in turn) helps redu"e downtie) guards
against data loss) and in"reases the return on investent%
Windows Server
B
2008 R2) li(e its prede"essors) has been designed with high
availabilit! in ind% *t provides "ustoers with read! and "onvenient a""ess
to a host o$ $eatures and te"hnologies) su"h as $ailover "lustering) that
enhan"e the availabilit! o$ the server in$rastru"ture%
&i"roso$t
B
Cluster Servi"es 4&SCS5 was #rst introdu"ed in Windows .T
B
>%0
-nterprise -dition% +ver the !ears) &SCS has been signi#"antl! iproved) and
with Windows Server 2008) it is "alled Windows Server Failover Clustering
4WSFC5%
*n Windows Server 2008) virtuall! ever! "oponent o$ $ailover "lustering has
been enhan"ed) and unne"essar! details have been sipli#ed% &an! o$ the
"lustering =nuts and bolts@ are now hidden behind the new C3*% A $ailover
"luster e6pert is no longer reDuired to su""ess$ull! deplo! and aintain a
$ailover "lusterEan *T generalist "an use the new wi<ard9based approa"h%
While e6perts "an aintain the sae level o$ "ontrol the! had in previous
versions) there is u"h greater Fe6ibilit! in how the $ailover "luster is
anaged in Windows Server 2008 R2%
Failover "lustering also a(es e"onoi" sense% Failover "lustering is in"luded
in the enhan"ed9"apabilit! editions o$ Windows Server 2008 R2EWindows
Server
B
2008 R2 -nterprise) Windows Server
B
2008 R2 1ata"enter) and
Windows Server
B
2008 R2 $or *taniu9'ased S!stes -ase o$ deplo!ent and
Page #
aGordabilit! a(e ea"h o$ these editions o$ Windows Server 2008 R2 an ideal
2A solution $or organi<ations o$ all si<es%
Introducing Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2008 R2 is the newest Windows Server operating s!ste and
the su""essor to Windows Server 2008% *t builds on the $oundation o$ Windows
Server 2008) e6panding e6isting te"hnolog! and adding new $eatures to
enable *T pro$essionals to in"rease the reliabilit! and Fe6ibilit! o$ their server
in$rastru"tures% .ew virtuali<ation tools) Web resour"es) and anageent
enhan"eents help save tie) redu"e "osts) and provide a solid $oundation
$or enterprise wor(loads% ToolsEsu"h as *nternet *n$oration Servi"es 4**S5
version ?%0 and 2!per9:H te"hnolog!E"obine to provide greater "ontrol)
in"reased eI"ien"!) and the abilit! to rea"t to $ront9line business needs $aster
than previous Windows Server versions%
A Brief Overview of Failover Clustering
Failover "lusters provide support $or ission9"riti"al appli"ationsEsu"h as
databases) essaging s!stes) #le and print servi"es) and virtuali<ed
wor(loadsEthat reDuire high availabilit!) s"alabilit!) and reliabilit!%
How Failover Clusters Work
A $ailover "luster is a group o$ independent "oputers) or nodes) that are
ph!si"all! "onne"ted b! a lo"al9area networ( 40A.5 or a wide9area networ(
4WA.5 and that are prograati"all! "onne"ted b! "luster so$tware% The
group o$ nodes is anaged as a single s!ste and shares a "oon
naespa"e% The group usuall! in"ludes ultiple networ( "onne"tions and
data storage "onne"ted to the nodes via storage area networ(s 4SA.s5% The
$ailover "luster operates b! oving resour"es between nodes to provide
servi"e i$ s!ste "oponents $ail%
.orall!) i$ a server that is running a parti"ular appli"ation "rashes) the
appli"ation will be unavailable until the server is #6ed% Failover "lustering
addresses this situation b! dete"ting hardware or so$tware $aults and
iediatel! restarting the appli"ation on another node without reDuiring
adinistrative interventionEa pro"ess (nown as $ailover% 3sers "an "ontinue
to a""ess the servi"e and a! be "opletel! unaware that it is now being
provided $ro a diGerent server 4see Figure J5%
Page #!
Figure ! Failover clustering
Failover Clustering Terminology
The $ollowing ters and "on"epts are used in $ailover "lustering:
Resource% A hardware or so$tware "oponent in a $ailover "luster
4su"h as a dis() an *P address) or a networ( nae5%
Resource grou"% A "obination o$ resour"es that are anaged as a
unit o$ $ailover%
#e"endenc$% An allian"e between two or ore resour"es in the
"luster ar"hite"ture%
%uoru&% A shared view o$ ebers 4nodes and soe resour"es5 in a
"luster% To ensure that onl! one subset o$ "luster ebers is
$un"tioning at one tie) a a7orit! o$ ebers is reDuired to be a"tive
and in "ouni"ation with ea"h other% This avoids having two subsets
o$ ebers both attepting to servi"e a reDuest and writing to the
sae dis() a situation whi"h "ould "ause "orruption% -a"h node
provides a single vote toward ebership% A ph!si"al dis( or a #le
share a! also serve as a Duoru resour"e and "ontribute a single
vote toward ebership%
'eartbeat% The "lusterAs health9onitoring e"hanis between
"luster nodes% This health "he"(ing allows nodes to dete"t $ailures o$
other servers in the $ailover "luster b! sending pa"(ets to ea"h otherAs
networ( inter$a"es%
(e&bers)i"% The orderl! addition and reoval o$ nodes to and $ro
the "luster%
*lobal u"date% The propagation o$ "luster "on#guration "hanges to
all "luster ebers%
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Cluster registr$% The "luster database) stored on ea"h node and on
the Duoru resour"e) aintains "on#guration in$oration 4in"luding
resour"es and paraeters5 $or ea"h eber o$ the "luster%
+irtual server% A "obination o$ "on#guration in$oration and "luster
resour"es) su"h as an *P address) a networ( nae) and appli"ation
resour"es%
Active,Active failover cluster &odel% All nodes in the $ailover
"luster are $un"tioning and serving "lients% *$ a node $ails) the resour"e
will ove to another node and "ontinue to $un"tion norall!) assuing
that the new server has enough "apa"it! to handle the additional
wor(load%
Active,-assive failover cluster &odel% +ne node in the $ailover
"luster t!pi"all! sits idle until a $ailover o""urs% A$ter a $ailover) this
passive node be"oes a"tive and provides servi"es to "lients%
'e"ause it was passive) it presuabl! has enough "apa"it! to serve
the $ailed9over appli"ation without per$oran"e degradation%
S)ared storage% All nodes in the $ailover "luster ust be able to
a""ess data on shared storage% The highl! available wor(loads write
their data to this shared storage% There$ore) i$ a node $ails) when the
resour"e is restarted on another node) the new node "an read the
sae data $ro the shared storage that the previous node was
a""essing% Shared storage "an be "reated with iSCS*) Serial Atta"hed
SCS*) or Fibre Channel) provided that it supports persistent
reservations%
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A .ittle 'istor$ / Failover Clustering in
Windows Server 2008
A a7or "hallenge with $ailover "lusters has histori"all! been their "ople6it!:
to build) to "on#gure) and to anage% This has too o$ten resulted in higher9
than9ne"essar! "osts $or organi<ations: "ustoers have lost opportunities to
a(e ore o$ their appli"ations highl! available) and organi<ations have
dedi"ated soe adinistrative resour"es to aintaining the "lusters that the!
have deplo!ed) rather than to the appli"ations hosted b! those "lusters%
*n Windows Server 2008) the iproveents to $ailover "lusters are aied at
sipli$!ing "lusters) at a(ing the ore se"ure) and at enhan"ing "luster
stabilit!% Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters are eas! to pro"ure) eas! to
"reate) eas! to use) and eas! to anage% Se"urit! and networ(ing has also
been iproved) as has the wa! a $ailover "luster "ouni"ates with storage%
Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters "an also support ore nodes than
previous Windows Server versions% These iproveents "obine to a(e
$ailover "lustering a sart business "hoi"e) delivering high availabilit!
te"hnolog! as a part o$ the operating s!ste%
Si&"li0ed Setu" and (igration
Windows Server 2008 in"ludes a new) eas!9to9use anageent inter$a"e% The
previous "luster adinistration inter$a"e has been repla"ed with a &i"roso$t
&anageent Console 4&&C5 K%0 snap9in) the Failover Cluster &anageent
snap9in 4CluAdin%s"5% This inter$a"e is a""essible $ro within Adinistrative
Tools 4see Figure 25% *t is also possible to open a blan( &&C and then add this
snap9in along with an! others%
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Figure 2! 1ew &anage&ent interface
The Failover Cluster &anageent snap9in is designed to be tas( oriented
instead o$ "luster resour"e oriented) as it was in previous versions o$ $ailover
"lustering% Adinistrators "an sele"t the "lustering tas( that the! want to
underta(e 4su"h as a(ing a #le share highl! available5 and suppl! the
ne"essar! in$oration b! using the wi<ard% Adinistrators "an even anage
Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters reotel! $ro Windows
B
?9based or
Windows :ista
B
9based "lient "oputers b! installing the Reote Server
Adinistration Tools%
*n previous versions o$ "luster adinistration) the pro"edure $or "reating a
highl! available #le share was a "ople6 pro"ess% The adinistrator had to
"reate a group) a dis( resour"e) an *P address resour"e) and a resour"e nae
4a networ( nae5% Then) the adinistrator had to "on#gure *sAlive;0oo(Alive)
"on#gure pre$erred servi"es) and #nall! set dependen"ies%
With Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lustering) it is not ne"essar! to deal with
resour"es or dependen"ies% *nstead) adinistrators "an start the 2igh
Availabilit! Wi<ard 4see Figure K5% The! are then as(ed $or a "lient a""ess point
nae 4the networ( nae5% The! do not need to assign an *P address) as
Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lustering supports 12CP 4and 12CP addressing
$or resour"es is the de$ault in the wi<ard5%
Page #%
Figure 2! 'ig) Availabilit$ Wi3ard
The 2igh Availabilit! Wi<ard "reates a group) ta(es a dis( $ro available
storage 4whi"h is autoati"all! dete"ted5) and then oves the dis( to that
group% Then) the wi<ard "reates an *P address resour"e and "reates a networ(
nae resour"e 4based on "lient a""ess point entr!5% *t de#nes the resour"e
owners) the pre$erred owner) and the dependen"ies autoati"all!% 2owever)
adinistrators retain the abilit! to ad7ust these settings anuall!%
*n addition) ultiple $ailover "lusters throughout the organi<ation "an be
anaged $ro a single &&C% And sin"e the Failover Cluster &anageent
snap9in is a true &&C) it is possible to "reate "usto anageent "onsoles
that in"lude the Failover Cluster &anageent snap9in in addition to other
anageent snap9ins%
-6perien"ed "luster server adinistrators a! want $ull a""ess to all o$ the
"oands that the! had available in the "oand9line tool% The! "an #ne9
tune their $ailover "lusters b! using the Cluster%e6e "oand9line tool%
&oreover) Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters are $ull! s"riptable with
Windows &anageent *nstruentation 4W&*5%
.ote that due to the ar"hite"tural "hanges in $ailover "lustering) in9pla"e or
rolling upgrades $ro Windows Server 200K are not supported% While a wi<ard9
based igration pro"ess has been in"luded to help) igrating to a Windows
Server 2008 $ailover "luster will) nonetheless) reDuire soe planning%
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Built4in Cluster +alidation Tool
A built9in validation pro"ess is in"luded in $ailover "lustering to a(e it easier
$or "ustoers to (now that their "luster "on#guration will be supported%
Custoers "an sele"t their hardware and then run the :alidate a Con#guration
Wi<ard 4also (nown as :alidate5% *$ the "lustered hardware "oponents have
the Windows Server 2008 logo and the entire "on#guration passes all o$ the
validation tests) the "luster "on#guration is $ull! supported% There is no longer
a separate) spe"i#" hardware "opatibilit! list $or "lustering%
This validation pro"ess "onsists o$ a series o$ tests that are grouped into $our
ain "ategories: inventor!) networ() storage) and s!ste "on#guration%
Figure > shows the e6panded networ( "ategor!%
Figure 5! +alidate a Con0guration Wi3ard
The validation results are 2T&0 based $or eas! "olle"tion and reote anal!sis%
The wi<ard ta(es 7ust a $ew inutes to run) although this is a $un"tion o$ how
an! nodes are in the $ailover "luster and how an! logi"al unit nubers
403.s5 are e6posed to the servers% +n"e !ou "reate the $ailover "luster) !ou
"an use the :alidate a Con#guration Wi<ard as a power$ul diagnosti" tool to
aintain the $ailover "luster and to identi$! potential probles%
.ote that when !ou run the :alidate a Con#guration Wi<ard) soe tests a!
not pass) but "lustering a! still be installed and $un"tion% For e6aple) not
"on$oring to a "luster "on#guration best pra"ti"e) su"h as having onl! one
networ( inter$a"e "ard 4.*C5 in ea"h node) will raise a warning rather than an
Page #11
error% 'ut) the $ailover "luster will $un"tion% 2owever) passing the :alidate a
Con#guration Wi<ard is the standard $or support $or $ailover "lusters in
Windows Server 2008: *$ a $ailover "luster does not pass the wi<ard) it is not
supported b! &i"roso$t% *n addition) running the :alidate a Con#guration
Wi<ard does not release the "ustoer $ro the responsibilit! o$ using onl!
hardware and so$tware that are "erti#ed under the Windows Server 0ogo
Progra $or Windows Server 2008%
Lou "an also use the :alidate a Con#guration Wi<ard to troubleshoot in9
produ"tion $ailover "lusters% *$ !ou were to e6perien"e a proble with !our
$ailover "luster) this wi<ard is the #rst thing !ou would want to run to ensure
that ever!thing is $un"tioning as e6pe"ted% This a! help redu"e !our
organi<ationAs support "osts% Lou "an also avoid running the storage tests
against an in9produ"tion $ailover "luster to (eep !our resour"es online%
While an! "ustoers believe the added Fe6ibilit! o$ a support poli"! based
on logoAd hardware and the validate tool is help$ul) soe "ustoers want an
additional level o$ "on#den"e that what the! bu! will be supported M be$ore
the! bu! it% For "ustoers who want that assuran"e that their "luster
"on#guration will be supported be$ore pur"hasing) &i"roso$t has "reated the
Failover Cluster Con#guration Progra 4FCCP5% Server vendors who are
ebers o$ the FCCP list pre9"on#gured) tested and validated hardware
"on#gurations on their websites%
(ulti4Site Clusters
&ultiple9site $ailover "lusters are easier to deplo! and u"h ore te"hni"all!
$easible with Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lustering%
Prior to Windows Server 2008) the options $or deplo!ing $ailover "lusters that
were geographi"all! dispersed were liited% These options involved ver!
spe"i#" preDuali#ed arra!9based repli"ation te"hnologies% &ultiple9site $ailover
"lusters were restri"ted to "ertain environents due to the laten"!
reDuireents and the reDuireent that the "luster nodes all reside in the
sae subnet%
Windows Server 2008 aGords u"h ore Fe6ibilit! in ipleenting ultiple9
site $ailover "lusters% For e6aple) adinistrators no longer have to stret"h
virtual lo"al area networ(s 4:0A.s5 a"ross the WA. to a""oodate
geographi"all! distant servers that are on diGerent subnetsN $ailover "luster
nodes "an now reside on "opletel! diGerent subnets% The introdu"tion o$
=+R@ logi" allows the use o$ two *P addresses% This eans that the *P
addresses "an reside in diGerent subnets a"ross a routed networ() eliinating
the need to "reate :0A.s%
Page #12
&oreover) the networ( laten"! reDuireents in Windows Server 200K server
"lustering) whi"h reDuired a round9trip laten"! o$ less than O00 illise"onds
4se"5) have been reoved $ro Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lustering%
The $ailover "lustering reDuireent $or the heartbeatEthe pro"ess b! whi"h
"luster nodes signal their integrit! to one anotherEhas also be"oe $ull!
"on#gurable% 2eartbeats are now tunable so that high9laten"! networ(s are
supported when !ou deplo! ultiple9site $ailover "lusters%
Storage I&"rove&ents
Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters are designed with built9in support $or
SA.s%
*n Windows Server 200K) the "luster dis( driver was in a dire"t path to the
storage% 2owever) in Windows Server 2008) the "luster dis( driver
4Clusdis(%s!s5 is "opletel! rewritten and is now a true Plug and Pla! 4PnP5
driver% The "luster dis( driver now "ouni"ates with the partition anager
driver 4Partgr%s!s5 to intera"t with storage 4see Figure O5%
Figure 6! Storage stac7 in Windows Server 2008 and in Windows
Server 2002
The partition anager has the priar! responsibilit! o$ prote"ting "luster dis(
resour"es% All dis(s on a shared storage bus are autoati"all! pla"ed in an
oPine state when the! are #rst apped to a "luster node% This allows storage
Page #1"
to be siultaneousl! apped to all the nodes in a $ailover "luster even be$ore
the $ailover "luster is "reated) saving tie% +n"e storage is added to a $ailover
"luster) the dis(s show a status o$ =Reserved@ in 1is( &anageent) and the!
are never le$t in an unprote"ted state%
There is also a "hange to the SCS* "oands% *n Windows Server 200K) SCS*9
2 Reserve;Release "oands were used) with the "luster dis( driver writing
to se"tors on the dis( itsel$% *n Windows Server 2008) SCS* SPC9K Persistent
Reservation "oands are reDuired 4this is veri#ed b! the :alidate a
Con#guration Wi<ard5% Cluster nodes ust register be$ore the! are allowed to
pla"e a reservation on the storage) and "luster nodes periodi"all! de$end their
reservations b! using the Registration 1e$ense Proto"ol%
*n Windows Server 2008) dis(s are never le$t in an unprote"ted state% This
signi#"antl! redu"es the possibilit! o$ "orruption% *n addition) C3*1 partition
table 4CPT5 dis(s are now supported) and ultiple9terab!te storage 4larger
than 2 terab!te 03.s per partition5 is now nativel! possible%
Additional storage iproveents in"lude an iproved "he"( dis( pro"ess
4Ch(ds(%e6e5) built9in dis( repair $un"tionalit! that was previousl! part o$ the
Cluster Server Re"over! 3tilit! 4ClusterRe"over!%e6e5) and sel$9healing dis(s% *n
Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters) the dis( signature and the 03. *1 are
both used when identi$!ing a "luster dis( resour"e% *$ either o$ these has
"hanged) the "luster "on#guration is updated% This translates into a redu"tion
in the errors that are sipl! due to an attribute "hange on a ph!si"al dis(
resour"e%
1ew Bac7u" and Restore Functionalit$
Windows Server 2008 $eatures a "loser integration with the :olue Shadow
Cop! Servi"e 4:SS5 $or easier ba"(ups% Failover "lustering in Windows Server
2008 has its own :SS writer) whi"h enables :SS ba"(up appli"ations to ore
easil! support $ailover "lusters% 'a"(ing up the "luster "on#guration is
straight$orwardEas long as the s!ste state is part o$ a ba"(up) the "luster
"on#guration "an be restored%
8n)anced Securit$ Features
Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters $eature several new se"urit!
enhan"eents% Perhaps the ost signi#"ant is that the Cluster servi"e no
longer runs under the "onte6t o$ a doain user a""ount 4or the Cluster servi"e
a""ount5% *n Windows Server 200K and in previous versions o$ Windows) a
doain user a""ount was reDuired during the "on#guration pro"ess and was
used to start the Cluster servi"e% *t was added to the lo"al Adinistrators
Page #1
group on ea"h node o$ the "luster and was given the reDuired lo"al user rights
to allow the Cluster servi"e to $un"tion properl!% As a doain user a""ount)
the Cluster servi"e a""ount was sub7e"t to a nuber o$ doain9level poli"ies
that "ould be applied to "luster nodes) and these poli"ies "ould "ause the
Cluster servi"e to $ail%
The Cluster servi"e in Windows Server 2008 runs under the lo"al s!ste
a""ount with a spe"i#" set o$ rights on the lo"al "luster node that allows it to
$un"tion properl!% The se"urit! "onte6t $or the $ailover "luster is now the
Cluster .ae +b7e"t 4C.+5) the "oputer ob7e"t that is "reated b! de$ault in
the Coputers "ontainer in A"tive 1ire"tor!
B
when the $ailover "luster is #rst
"reated% Sin"e a doain user a""ount is no longer used $or the Cluster servi"e)
the C.+ is used $or all operations that reDuire se"urit! inside the $ailover
"luster%
Failover "lusters also add :irtual Coputer +b7e"ts 4:C+s5) whi"h are
additional "oputer ob7e"ts "reated in the Coputers "ontainer in A"tive
1ire"tor!% :C+s eDuate to the "luster networ( nae resour"es that are
"reated as part o$ "lient a""ess points 4CAPs5 in the $ailover "luster% The C.+
is responsible $or "reating all :C+s in a $ailover "luster and there$ore ust
have the doain9level right to "reate "oputer ob7e"ts on the "ontainer
where the :C+s are "reatedN the C.+ is added to the s!ste a""ess "ontrol
list 4SAC05 $or the ob7e"t in A"tive 1ire"tor! 4see Figure Q5%
Page #1!
Figure 9! +irtual Co&"uter Ob:ects "ro"erties
,erberos is used in Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lustering as the de$ault
authenti"ation ethod% 2owever) should an appli"ation that is not able to use
,erberos $or authenti"ation ever need to a""ess "luster resour"es) $ailover
"lusters still have the abilit! to use .T0& authenti"ation%
Finall!) all "ouni"ation between the nodes is now signed b! de$ault% '!
using the Cluster%e6e "oand9line tool) !ou "an "hange this "luster propert!
so that all "ouni"ation between the nodes is en"r!pted to provide an
additional level o$ se"urit!%
Scalabilit$
Windows Server 2008 $ailover "lusters "an support ore nodes than "lusters
in previous versions o$ Windows% Spe"i#"all!) 6Q>9based $ailover "lusters
support up to JQ nodes in a single $ailover "luster in Windows Server 2008
-nterprise or in Windows Server 2008 1ata"enter) as opposed to the
a6iu o$ 8 nodes in Windows Server 200K%
Page #1#
*n addition to support $or ore "luster nodes) Windows Server 2008 $ailover
"lusters now support CPT dis(s% A CPT dis( uses the CPT dis( partitioning
s!ste% A CPT dis( oGers these bene#ts:
*t allows up to J28 priar! partitions% 4&'R dis(s "an support up to
$our priar! partitions and an in#nite nuber o$ partitions inside an
e6tended partition%5
*t allows a u"h larger volue si<eEgreater than 2 terab!tes 4the liit
$or &'R dis(s5%
*t provides greater reliabilit! due to repli"ation and "!"li"al redundan"!
"he"( 4CRC5 prote"tion o$ the partition table%
The "obination o$ an in"reased nuber o$ nodes and support $or CPT dis(s
greatl! enhan"es the s"alabilit! o$ larger volues in $ailover "luster
deplo!ents%
8;"anded 1etwor7ing Functionalit$
.ew networ(ing "apabilities enable ore Fe6ibilit! when designing high
availabilit! and disaster re"over! solutions in Windows Server 2008 and
provide ore reliable "onne"tivit! aong the nodes in the $ailover "luster% The
"luster networ( driver has been "opletel! rewritten so that it provides highl!
reliable and $ault9tolerant "ouni"ation aong the nodes in a $ailover
"luster) provided that ea"h node is "onne"ted to at least two separate and
distin"tl! routed networ(s%
Cluster nodes "an also obtain *P address in$oration via 12CP 41!nai" 2ost
Con#guration Proto"ol5% The "on#guration o$ a "luster nodeRs networ(
inter$a"es deterines whi"h networ(s will use stati" or d!nai" *P addresses%
-ven i$ an *P address resour"e in a $ailover "luster is obtained $ro a 12CP
server) it "an be "hanged to a stati" *P address in the Failover Cluster
&anageent snap9in%
&ulti"ast $un"tionalit! has been dis"ontinued in Windows Server 2008 $ailover
"lustering) and "luster "ouni"ations now use 3ser 1atagra Proto"ol
431P5 uni"ast% 4Port KK>K is still the "oon port that is used b! &i"roso$t
$ailover "lusters%5 There are now new essaging pro"esses that are internal to
the Cluster servi"e itsel$% When nodes transit and re"eive heartbeats to
"on#r that ea"h node is still available) the nodes use Transission Control
Proto"ol 4TCP5 rather than the less reliable 31P%
'e"ause Windows Server 2008 supports *nternet Proto"ol version Q 4*PvQ5) the
Cluster servi"e will support this $un"tionalit! as well% This in"ludes being able
to support *PvQ *P address resour"es and *Pv> *P address resour"es either
alone or in "obination in a $ailover "luster%
Page #1$
Failover "lustering also supports Q9> and *ntra9site Autoati" Tunneling
Addressing Proto"ol 4*SATAP5% Additionall!) $ailover "lustering supports onl!
*PvQ addresses that allow $or d!nai" registration in 1oain .ae S!ste
41.S5 4AAAA host re"ords and the *PQ%ARPA reverse loo(9up <one5% Currentl!)
there are three t!pes o$ *PvQ address t!pesEglobal) site lo"al) and lin( lo"al%
1!nai" 1.S registrations will not o""ur $or lin( lo"al addresses and there$ore
"annot be used in a $ailover "luster%
Cluster Troubles)ooting
*nstead o$ wor(ing with the te6t9#le9based "luster log) an adinistrator "an
use -vent Tra"ing $or Windows 4-TW5 to easil! gather) anage) and report
in$oration about the seDuen"e o$ events that o""urred on the $ailover
"luster% 1e$ault log si<es var!) and !ou "an odi$! the de$ault log si<es b!
using the $ailover "luster installation logs%
Page #18
1ew for Failover Clustering in
Windows Server 2008 R2
*proveents to $ailover "lustering were also added in Windows Server 2008
R2% These iproveents $o"us priaril! on the new Cluster Shared :olues
4CS:5 $eature and on Windows PowerShell) the new s"ripting language $or
"lustering te"hnologies%
8n)anced +alidation
Windows Server 2008 R2 in"ludes enhan"eents to the :alidate a
Con#guration Wi<ard 4:alidate5) su"h as a set o$ new tests "alled the Cluster
Con#guration tests% These tests help "he"( settings that are spe"i#ed within
the $ailover "luster and the "luster resour"es) su"h as the settings that aGe"t
how the $ailover "luster "ouni"ates a"ross the available networ(s% The
Cluster Con#guration tests "an also be used to review and ar"hive the
"on#guration o$ the "lustered servi"es and appli"ations 4in"luding settings $or
the resour"es within ea"h "lustered servi"e or appli"ation5 to ensure that best
pra"ti"es are being eplo!ed%
The enhan"ed validation tests let !ou #ne9tune a "luster "on#guration) tra"(
the "on#guration) and identi$! potential "luster "on#guration issues be$ore
the! "ause downtie%
Windows -owerS)ell C&dlets
Windows Server 2008 R2 introdu"es Windows PowerShell as the new s"ripting
language $or "lustering te"hnologies and begins the ove awa! $ro the
Cluster%e6e "oand9line tool) whi"h will be depre"ated in the ne6t Windows
Server release% Windows PowerShell uses "onsistent s!nta6 and naing
patterns a"ross roles and $eatures and provides nuerous bene#ts over
standard "oand9line inter$a"es) in"luding easil! "ustoi<able s"ripts and
the d!nai" use o$ variables%
Cdlets $or the basis o$ the Windows PowerShell instru"tion set% The new
"dlets $or $ailover "lusters provide power$ul wa!s to s"ript "luster
"on#guration and anageent tas(s% '! using Windows PowerShell) !ou "an
per$or virtuall! all the operations that !ou "an per$or in the Failover
Cluster &anageent snap9in%
Page #1%
.ote that !ou "an use the Cluster%e6e "oand9line tool in Windows
Server 2008 R2) but Windows PowerShell will be the onl! "oand9line
inter$a"e available $or $ailover "lusters in $uture releases o$ Windows Server%
Read4Onl$ A""lication -rogra&&ing Interfaces
Windows Server 2008 R2 introdu"es read9onl! AP*s) a se"urit! enhan"eent
that allows adinistrators to Duer! the state o$ the $ailover "luster and its
resour"es without per$oring an! a"tions% Read9onl! AP*s are ideal $or a #rst9
level triage to Sloo() but not tou"h%S
1etwor7 -rioriti3ation
Windows Server 2008 R2 enhan"es networ( prioriti<ation% *t lets an
adinistrator plan an internal "luster networ( $or eI"ien"! b! giving the
$astest networ( the highest priorit! $or internal traI" 4su"h as heartbeat)
&luster 'hared (olumes) and live migration traI") whi"h are dis"ussed later in this
paper5%
8TW .ogging C)annels
The te6t9#le9based "luster log that is used in Windows Server 200K is gone%
-vent tra"e logging 4%etl5 is now enabled through -vent Tra"ing $or Windows
4-TW5) new $un"tionalit! that is built in to the "oand line% The Cluster%e6e
"oand9line tool lets an adinistrator dup the tra"e log into a te6t #le%
Then) the adinistrator "an use the cluster.exe Log /Generate "oand
to see this log% Also) the adinistrator "an "reate diagnosti" views inside the
iproved Windows Server 2008 -vent :iewer%
I&"roved (igration of Cluster Wor7loads
To igrate "luster wor(loads that are "urrentl! running on Windows Server
200K) Windows Server 2008) or Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows Server
2008 R2) adinistrators "an use the &igration Wi<ard) whi"h is built in to the
Failover Cluster &anageent snap9in%
The igration pro"ess:
Supports ever! wor(load that is "urrentl! supported on Windows
Server 200K and on Windows Server 2008% The wi<ard "an igrate
settings $ro the $ollowing resour"e groups:
o File server
o 12CP
o Ceneri" Appli"ation
o Ceneri" S"ript
Page #20
o Ceneri" Servi"e
o Windows *nternet .ae Servi"e
4W*.S5 Server
o 1istributed File S!ste
.aespa"e 41FS9.5
o 1istributed Transa"tion
Coordinator 41TC5
o *nternet Storage .ae
Servi"e 4iS.S5 Server
o &essage Tueuing 4also "alled
&S&T5
o .etwor( File S!ste 4.FS5
o +ther Server 4"lient a""ess point
and storage onl!5
o Reote 1es(top Conne"tion
'ro(er
Supports ost "oon networ( "on#gurations%
1oes not support rolling upgrades o$ $ailover "lusters% Cluster
wor(loads ust be igrated to a new $ailover "luster that is running
Windows Server 2008 R2% All other wor(loads have their own "luster9
aware igration;upgrade pro"ess%
Su""ort for Additional Clustered Services
Windows Server 2008 R2 provides support $or two additional "lustered
servi"es%
DFS-Replication Support
1FS9Repli"ation is an eI"ient) ultiple9aster repli"ation engine that is used
to (eep $olders s!n"hroni<ed between servers a"ross liited bandwidth
networ( "onne"tions% *n Windows Server 2008 R2) !ou "an "on#gure eber
servers in a repli"ation group to be highl! available $or uninterrupted and
$ailure9resilient repli"ation servi"es%
Remote Desktop/Terminal Services Support
The Reote 1es(top Conne"tion 'ro(er supports session load balan"ing and
session re"onne"tion in a load9balan"ed reote des(top server $ar) ensuring
that "lients are re"onne"ted to their sae session or virtual a"hine% The
Reote 1es(top Conne"tion 'ro(er is also used to provide a""ess to Windows
Server 2008 R2 ReoteApp progras and virtual des(tops through
ReoteApp and 1es(top Conne"tion%
Page #21
Failover Clustering and '$"er4+
+ne o$ the arDuee $eatures in Windows Server 2008 R2) 0ive &igration) uses
the new Cluster Shared :olues 4CS:5 $eature within the $ailover "lustering
role in Windows Server 2008 R2% Server virtuali<ation is provided b! a new
version o$ 2!per9:%
Cluster S)ared +olu&es
Cluster Shared :olues 4CS:5) whi"h $un"tions as a distributed9a""ess #le
s!ste that is optii<ed $or 2!per9:) is a signi#"ant ar"hite"tural innovation
in"orporated in $ailover "lustering in Windows Server 2008 R2 -nterprise and
in Windows Server 2008 R2 1ata"enter) as well as in &i"roso$t 2!per9: Server
2008 R2%
3nli(e a Clustered File S!ste 4CFS5) CS: does not use a spe"iali<ed
proprietar! #le s!steEit uses the standard .TFS #le s!ste) so it reDuires
nothing additional to pur"hase or support% Regular "lustering storage devi"es
"an be usedEFibre Channel) iSCS*) or Serial Atta"hed SCS*Eas long as these
devi"es re"eive a logo $or Windows Server 2008 R2 and the "oplete solution
passes the :alidate a Con#guration Wi<ard%
With CS:) an! node in a $ailover "luster "an a""ess the shared storage and
an! node "an host virtual a"hines) regardless o$ whi"h node =owns@ 4or
anages .TFS on5 the storage 4see Figure ?5% CS: provides an! bene#ts)
in"luding easier storage anageent) greater resilien"! against $ailures) and
the abilit! to store an! :&s on a single 03. and have the $ail over
individuall!% &ost notabl!) CS: provides the in$rastru"ture to support and
enhan"e live igration o$ 2!per9: virtual a"hines%
Page #22
Figure <! Cluster S)ared +olu&es
'e"ause CS: provides a "onsistent #le naespa"e to all the nodes in the
$ailover "luster) an! #les that are stored on CS: have the sae nae and
path $ro an! node in the $ailover "luster% CS: volues are stored as
dire"tories and subdire"tories beneath the US!ste1riveUVClusterStorage
root $older) as illustrated in Figure 8%
Figure 8! Single na&es"ace in CS+
*n Windows Server 2008 and in earlier versions o$ Windows) ea"h resour"e
group was reDuired to have a ph!si"al dis( resour"e to anage the "lusterAs
a""ess to the appli"ation data residing on the shared storage devi"e% This
ensured that onl! one node "ould a""ess the data at a tie% 2owever) sin"e
onl! one node "ould own the 03. at an! tie) the 03. was the sallest unit
Page #2"
o$ $ailover% *$ an! appli"ation that was running on the 03. needed to ove to
another node) all the appli"ations on that 03. would also be $ailed over% This
pro"ess in"urred soe downtie during the $ailover% There$ore) "ustoers
$reDuentl! ran onl! a single appli"ation $ro ea"h 03. so that onl! that one
appli"ation would be"oe unavailable during a $ailover% This added signi#"ant
"ople6it! to storage anageentE"lusters with hundreds o$ resour"es
needed hundreds o$ 03.s) whi"h were then "hallenging to deplo! and
anage%
CS: brea(s the dependen"! between appli"ation resour"es 4the virtual
a"hines5 and dis( resour"esN it does not atter where a dis( is ounted
be"ause it will appear lo"al to all the nodes in the $ailover "luster% 2owever)
the appli"ations on that CS: dis( "an run on an! node at an! tie%
CS: anages storage a""ess diGerentl! than regular "lustered dis(s do 4see
Figure 95% A node is designated as a ="oordinator node@Ethis "an be an! node
in a $ailover "luster% When an appli"ation needs to write data to the CS: dis()
the appli"ation reDuests perission $ro the "oordinator node% *$ the data
being written does not reDuire "hanging the #le s!ste stru"ture) the
"oordinator node sends the addresses o$ the writable blo"(s) letting the :&
write dire"tl! to the #le s!ste 4dire"t a""ess to the 03.5% *$ the data reDuires
a "hange to the #le s!ste stru"tureE$or e6aple) an e6tension) a ove) or a
"hange in the attributes o$ a #leEthe "oordinator node writes the data to the
dis(% *n this wa!) the "oordinator node ensures that a""ess to the .TFS #le
s!ste is "ontrolled to help prevent "orruption%
Page #2
Figure =! Coordinator node in CS+
.ive (igration
0ive igration is enhan"ed b! CS: within $ailover "lustering in Windows
Server 2008 R2% 0ive igration and CS: are separate but "oplientar!
te"hnologies: the! "an wor( independentl!) but CS: enhan"es the resilien"e
o$ live igration and is thus re"oended 4not reDuired5 $or live igration%
The CS: volues enable ultiple nodes in the sae $ailover "luster to
"on"urrentl! a""ess the sae 03.% Fro the perspe"tive o$ the :&s) ea"h
appears to a"tuall! own a 03.N however) the %vhd #les $or ea"h :& are stored
on the sae CS: volue%
CS: is the enabling te"hnolog! $or live igration with 2!per9:% With CS:)
oving a virtual a"hine between ph!si"al servers happen in illise"ondsE
without dropped networ( "onne"tions or per"eived downtie% &igration
operations be"oe virtuall! invisible to "onne"ted users%
+n"e !ou establish a $ailover "luster o$ ph!si"al servers that are running
2!per9:) :&s "an be =live igrated@ at will% *n the event o$ a node $ailure) :&s
are restarted on another "luster node%
Page #2!
Su&&ar$
Failover "lusters are used b! *T pro$essionals who need to provide high
availabilit! $or servi"es or appli"ationsN $ailover "lusters help *T departents
(eep their ission9"riti"al servi"es up and running%
*n Windows Server 2008 R2) the iproveents to $ailover "lusters are aied
at sipli$!ing $ailover "lusters) a(ing the ore se"ure) and enhan"ing their
stabilit!% Cluster setup and anageent are easier% Se"urit! and networ(ing
in $ailover "lusters have been iproved) as has the wa! a $ailover "luster
"ouni"ates with storage%
*n addition to the enhan"eents in $ailover "lustering) the new virtuali<ation
tools) Web resour"es) and anageent enhan"eents help save tie) redu"e
"osts) and provide a solid $oundation $or enterprise wor(loads% Windows
Server 2008 R2 gives "ustoers greater "ontrol) in"reased eI"ien"!) and the
high availabilit! that is needed to su""eed in toda!As global ar(etpla"e%
Page #2#
Related .in7s
The $ollowing Web pages provide additional in$oration%
For the Windows Server 2008 hoe page) visit:
http:;;www%i"roso$t%"o;windowsserver2008;en;us;de$ault%asp6
For the "lustering and high availabilit! blog) visit:
http:;;blogs%sdn%"o;"lustering;de$ault%asp6
For ore in$oration about the Windows Server 2008 Failover Cluster
Con#guration Progra) visit:
http:;;www%i"roso$t%"o;windowsserver2008;en;us;$ailover9"lustering9
progra9overview%asp6
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