System-Level Fault Tolerance (Clustering/Network Load Balancing) - Installing Cluster Service

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The Windows Server 2003 Cluster Service is installed by default. Because the service is already installed, creating a cluster does not require the installation media or a reboot. The Cluster Administrator utility can be used to create a new cluster and to manage existing clusters on local and remote nodes.

Both the GUI-based Cluster Administrator and the command-line utility Cluster.exe can be used to create and manage clusters. Both tools can effectively manage a cluster, but Cluster.exe allows an administrator to create an unattended, scripted cluster installation. Cluster.exe provides too many arguments and switches to be discussed in detail here, so refer to Help and Support from the Start menu and search for "cluster.exe." Alternatively, at a command prompt, type cluster.exe /?. Later in this chapter, in the "Installing the First Node in the Cluster" section, basic Cluster.exe commands will be outlined.

A recommendation for cluster nodes is to have multiple network cards in each node so that one card can be dedicated to internal cluster communication (private network) while the other can be used only for client connectivity (public network) or for both public and private communication (mixed network). Cluster nodes equipped with only one network card must run the card in Mixed Network mode.

During a cluster installation, if shared storage is discovered, Cluster Service will default to installing the quorum resource on the smallest basic partition on the device. If no shared storage is available, a local or an MNS quorum will be created.

Working Through the Cluster Pre-Installation Checklist

Be sure to check the following before installing Cluster Service:

1. Gather the network name for the cluster.

2. Gather all necessary IP addresses for the cluster and for each network card in the cluster node.

3. Before booting up the first server, connect, configure, and turn on all external storage devices if any are being used. You should also have the appropriate drivers that may be required for this external storage device.

4. If multiple network cards are being used, rename the connections using easily identifiable names, such as Cluster Private Nic and Cluster Mix Nic, similar to what is shown in Figure 31.3.

   
   
   Figure 31.3 Multiple network adapter configuration.

5. Create a Cluster Service account in the domain in which you are installing the cluster. It needs to be only a standard user account, but the password should never expire. During the cluster installation, the account will be given Local Administrator rights on the cluster nodes and will be given a few rights in the domain, such as Add Computer Accounts to the Domain.

6. Choose your cluster configuration mode and choose the correlating quorum type during the cluster installation.

This chapter is from Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed, by Rand Morimoto, et al. (Sams Publishing, 2004, ISBN: 0672326671). Check it out at your favorite bookstore today. Buy this book now.

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