Dell AX4-5 User Manual

www.dell.com | support.dell.comDell™ Failover Clusters WithMicrosoft® Windows Server® 2008Software Installation andTroubleshooting Guide

10 IntroductionSupported Cluster ConfigurationsFor the list of Dell-validated hardware, firmware, and software components for a Failover Cluster runni

Introduction 11NICs At least two NICs: one NIC for the public network and another NIC for the private network.NOTE: It is recommended that the NICs on

12 IntroductionCluster StorageWhile configuring your Dell Failover Cluster with Windows Server 2008, attach all cluster nodes to a common shared stora

Introduction 13• The Rack Installation Guide included with your rack solution describes how to install your system into a rack.• The Getting Started G

14 Introduction

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 15Preparing Your Systems for Clustering CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove and

16 Preparing Your Systems for Clustering4Establish the physical network topology and the TCP/IP settings for network adapters on each cluster node to

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 17Installation OverviewThis section provides installation overview procedures for configuring a cluster running

18 Preparing Your Systems for Clustering6Install or update the storage connection drivers. For more information on connecting your cluster nodes to a

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 19Selecting a Domain ModelOn a cluster running the Microsoft Windows operating system, all nodes must belong to

Notes, Notices, and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates

20 Preparing Your Systems for ClusteringInstalling and Configuring the Windows Operating System NOTICE: Windows standby mode and hibernation mode are

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 219From node 1, go to the Windows Disk Management application, write the disk signature, partition the disk, for

22 Preparing Your Systems for ClusteringAssigning Static IP Addresses to Cluster Resources and Components NOTE: WSFC supports configuring cluster IP

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 23Configuring IPv4 Addresses for Cluster NodesUse the static IP address assignments for the network adapters use

24 Preparing Your Systems for Clustering NOTE: Do not configure Default Gateway, NetBIOS, WINS, and DNS on the private network. If multiple cluster i

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 25• Anycast addresses — Anycast addresses used for one-to-one-of-many communication. In Anycast addressing an IP

26 Preparing Your Systems for ClusteringConfiguring the Network Interface Binding Order for Clusters Running Windows Server 2008After configuring the

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 27Ensure that each local server responds to the ping command. If the IP assignments are not set up correctly, th

28 Preparing Your Systems for ClusteringConfiguring Hard Drive Letters When Using Multiple Shared Storage SystemsBefore creating the cluster, ensure t

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 293Perform the following steps on all the node(s): aOpen Disk Management on the Server Manager.bAssign the drive

Contents 3Contents1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Features of Failover Clusters Running Windows Server 2008 . . . . .

30 Preparing Your Systems for ClusteringTo install Failover Clustering feature:1Click Start→ Administrative Tools→ Server Manager, if Server Manager i

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 314On the Testing Options window, select the specific tests you want to run or select Run all tests (recommended

32 Preparing Your Systems for ClusteringConfiguring the Quorum Disk in Failover ClusteringThe Quorum configuration determines the maximum number of fa

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 333Node Majority: The cluster nodes determine the maximum number of failures that the cluster can sustain (simil

34 Preparing Your Systems for Clustering1In the Failover Cluster Management console, right-click on Failover Cluster Management, click Manage a Cluste

Preparing Your Systems for Clustering 35Modifying Properties of a Clustered Service or ApplicationFailover Clustering allows you to modify the failove

36 Preparing Your Systems for Clustering

Installing Your Cluster Management Software 37Installing Your Cluster Management SoftwareThis section provides information on configuring and administ

38 Installing Your Cluster Management SoftwareLaunching Failover Cluster Management Console on a Remote ConsolePerform the following steps on the remo

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 39Understanding Your Failover ClusterCluster ObjectsCluster objects are the physical and logical units managed by

4 ContentsConfiguring Windows Networking . . . . . . . . . . . 21Assigning Static IP Addresses to Cluster Resources and Components . . . . . . . .

40 Understanding Your Failover ClusterNetwork InterfacesYou can use the Failover Cluster Management console to view the state of all cluster network i

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 41Forming a New ClusterFailover Clustering maintains a current copy of the cluster database on all active nodes. I

42 Understanding Your Failover ClusterAND or OR. If you use AND, all the dependent resources must come online before your resource can come online. If

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 43A dependent resource requires another resource to operate. Table 4-3 describes resource dependencies.Creating a

44 Understanding Your Failover ClusterResource FailureFailover Clustering periodically checks if a resource is functioning properly using either basic

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 45Replacing a Failed DiskIf a disk in a Failover Cluster has failed, you can assign a different disk. To replace t

46 Understanding Your Failover ClusterAn active/active configuration contains virtual servers running separate applications or services on each node.

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 47N + I FailoverN + I failover is an active/passive policy where dedicated passive cluster node(s) provide backup

48 Understanding Your Failover ClusterFigure 4-1. Example of an N+I Failover Configuration for an Eight-Node ClusterTable 4-5. Example of an N+I Failo

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 49Configuring Group AffinityOn N + I (active/passive) Failover Clusters running Windows Server 2008, some resource

Contents 53 Installing Your Cluster Management Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Microsoft Failover Cluster Management Cons

50 Understanding Your Failover ClusterIf you have applications that run well on two-node cluster, and you want to migrate these applications to Window

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 51Table 4-7 shows a four-node multiway failover configuration for the cluster shown in Figure 4-3. For each resour

52 Understanding Your Failover ClusterFailover RingFailover ring is an active/active policy where all running applications migrate from the failed nod

Understanding Your Failover Cluster 53FailbackFailback returns the resources back to their original node. When the system administrator repairs and re

54 Understanding Your Failover Cluster

Maintaining Your Cluster 55Maintaining Your ClusterThis section provides instructions to perform multiple maintenance tasks like adding, configuring,

56 Maintaining Your Cluster3Configure the networks:• For your Private network, select Allow the cluster to use this network only.• For your Public net

Maintaining Your Cluster 57To stop or restart the cluster service on a node:1Right-click the node that you want to stop or restart in the Failover Clu

58 Maintaining Your Cluster3In the Cluster Events Filter dialog window, select the criteria for the events that you want to display and click OK.4To v

Upgrading to a Cluster Configuration 59Upgrading to a Cluster ConfigurationThis section provides instructions to perform upgrading a cluster configura

6 Contents5 Maintaining Your Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Adding a storage to a Failover Cluster Node . . . . . . 55Configuring Network Sett

60 Upgrading to a Cluster ConfigurationCompleting the UpgradeAfter installing the required hardware and network adapter upgrades, set up and cable the

Troubleshooting 61TroubleshootingThis appendix provides troubleshooting information for your cluster configuration. Table A-1 describes general cluste

62 TroubleshootingThe nodes cannot access the storage system, or the cluster software is not functioning with the storage system.You are using a Dell|

Troubleshooting 63One of the nodes takes a long time to join the cluster.OROne of the nodes fail to join the cluster.The node-to-node network has fail

64 TroubleshootingAttempts to connect to a cluster using Cluster Administrator fail.• The Cluster Service has not been started.• A cluster has not bee

Troubleshooting 65Unable to add a node to the cluster.The new node cannot access the shared disks. The shared disks are enumerated by the operating sy

66 TroubleshootingCluster Services may not operate correctly on a cluster running Windows Server 2008 when the Internet Firewall enabled.The Windows I

Troubleshooting 67You are using a PowerVault MD3000 or PowerVault MD3000i storage array and Virtual Disks failover continuously between the two storag

68 TroubleshootingYou are using a PowerVault MD3000 or PowerVault MD3000i storage array and one of the following occurs:• Unable to assign the drive l

Index 69IndexAactive/activeabout, 45Cchkdsk/frunning, 57clustercluster objects, 39forming a new cluster, 41joining an existing cluster, 41Cluster Admi

Introduction 7IntroductionDell™ Failover Cluster is a group of systems working together to run a common set of applications that presents a single log

70 Indexfailover policies, 46failover pair, 49failover ring, 52for Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, 46multiway failover, 50N+I failover, 47Ggr

Index 71Pperiod valuesadjusting, 44private networkconfiguring IP addresses, 23creating separate subnets, 25using dual-port network adapters, 26public

72 Index

8 IntroductionThe services and capabilities that are included with Failover Clusters running Windows Server 2008 are:• The Failover Cluster Management

Introduction 9• Better Storage and Backup Support — The architecture of Failover Cluster running Windows Server 2008 has undergone storage related cha