One of the biggest challenge of IT today is to keep production environment healthy without downtimes. In IT world this means Replications, High Availability, Failover Clustering, Load Balancing. Today most of the Servers are Virtual Servers with Hypervisors to keep the Virtual Servers.
Today i will explain how can keep the HYPER-V Hosts without downtimes in any scenario except from Disaster Recovery. The solution is the Failover Clustering . What is Failover Clustering?
Base on Microsoft << A failover cluster is a group of independent computers that work together to increase the availability and scalability of clustered roles (formerly called clustered applications and services). The clustered servers (called nodes) are connected by physical cables and by software. If one or more of the cluster nodes fail, other nodes begin to provide service (a process known as failover). In addition, the clustered roles are proactively monitored to verify that they are working properly. >>
Or you can read the Overview of Failover Clustering in https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831579%28v=ws.11%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396
Let's start !!!
Prerequisites
Before proceed to install Failover Clustering must meet specific Requirements.
- Servers that will use must contain same or at least similar components
- You must use at least 2 Network Adapters. Dedicate Network adapters for network communication or iSCSI not both.
- You must use Share Storage that is attached in Windows Server 2012 and not Local Storage of your Server.
- Attach Storage should contain multiple, separate disks (logical unit numbers, or LUNs) that are configured at the hardware level.
For more details in every requirement that publish you can open the Page from Microsoft https://technet.microsoft.com/library/jj612869?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396
Install Failover Clustering Role in HYPER-V Hosts
- Open Server Manager
- Click in Manage and Select Add Roles and Features
- Click Next in the Before you begin Screen
- Select Role-Based or feature-based installation. Click Next.
- Keep the default and click Next.
- I don't need Server Roles so just click Next.
- Find and tick the Failover Clustering. Click Add Features in the Window that will appear. Click Next.
- You can see the confirmation page. Click Install to start the installation.
- Wait to finish the Installation and click Close.
Validate Cluster Configuration
After finish the installation of Failover Clustering Role before create the cluster it' s strongly recommended to run a full validation test for the cluster hardware configuration.
- From the right side select Validate Configuration.
- Just click Next in Before the Begin Window.
- Add the Servers that will use as Clusters. In this scenario are HYPERV1 and HYPERV2. Click Next.
- It's strongly Recommended to run all Tests. So keep the default options and click Next.
- Here it's only a Confirmation Page with all the Tests that will proceed.Click Next.
- Wait to finish the validation. It will takes some time. Most of the times it takes 10-20 minutes to finish.
- When the validation finish you will get the Results. Click in View Report to get the full Report and see Warning or Errors if you have. Or just check the Create the cluster now using the validation nodes to proceed with the Create Cluster Wizard.
- As you can see i have some Warnings that must be check and Resolve it but i can continue to create the Culsters. Click Finish.
- If you have errors you must Resolve it first and after continue to Create the Clusters. But in case of Warnings you can continue.But don't avoid to check the Warnings because in feature when the Clusters will be in Production maybe face serious problems that you don't want it. Now you have the time to Resolve this Warnings without press.
Create the cluster
Now it's time to create the Clusters.
- When the Validation finish it will start automatic the Create Cluster Wizard.
- Click Next in Before you Begin Window.
- Add the Cluster Name that will be use to Administering the Cluster. In my Scenario i choose Cluster Name HYPERV-ACL. This step i would like to explain with more details. The Cluster Name that will be use must be unique and not exist in your environment. Imagine that you create a new Server. The Server Name must be unique. So the same must be done here. When will be create the Cluster Name then automatic will be create a Computer Object in Active Directory where the cluster nodes computer objects are located.
- Type the IP Address of your Cluster Name. Must be choose an available Ip Address of your Network.Click Next.
- Check the Confirmation Page with all your settings and click Next.
- Wait until Create the Clusters and click Finish.
- Now go in Failover Cluster Manager and see the structure.
- Expand the Cluster Name that created Before and click in Nodes.
- In the Right Side will be see the 2 nodes and the status.
We have already create the HYPER-V Clusters. We don't have finish yet. We must create th Cluster Share Storage, Create the Virtual Server and do Test to Verify that Failover Clustering working properly.
See you next Friday. Have a nice weekend !!!
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