Stage 2. Deploying a Failover Cluster Using the Microsoft Failover Clustering Feature

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To create a failover cluster and then configure a file server with shared storage, you need to install the Failover Clustering feature and some additional roles on every server that you want to add as a failover cluster node.

Three steps are involved in deploying a Failover Cluster:

Step 1. Installing the Failover Clustering feature on every server.

Step 2. Validating the configuration on every server.

Step 3. Creating a failover cluster.

NOTE: For a full guide to Failover Clustering on Windows Server, please refer to: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/failover-clustering/failover-clustering-overview

NOTE: You need to be logged in as a domain user who has administrator permissions on all servers that you want to add as cluster nodes, and who also has the Create Computer Objects permission for the OU in the domain where the servers have been added.

Step 1. To install the Failover Clustering feature, do the following:

1. Open Server Manager.

2. On the Manage menu, select Add Roles and Features.

3. On the Before you begin page, click Next.

4. On the Select installation type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation, and then click Next.

5. On the Select destination server page, select the server where you want to install the feature, and then click Next.

6. On the Select server roles page, expand File and Storage Services and File and iSCSI Services, and then select the File Server checkbox, and click Next.

7. On the Select Features page, on the Features tab, select the Failover Clustering and Storage Replica checkboxes, and agree to install any additional components if offered to in pop-up windows, and then click Next.

8. On the Confirm installation selections page, click Install.

9. When the installation is complete, click Close.

NOTE: Repeat the above procedure for every server that you want to add as a failover cluster node.

Step 2. To validate the configuration, do the following:

1. Open Server Manager on one of the servers where the Failover Clustering feature was installed.

2. On the Tools menu, select Failover Cluster Manager.

3. In the Failover Cluster Manager, on the Actions pane, select Validate Configuration.

4. On the Before You Begin page, click Next.

5. On the Select Servers or a Cluster page, in the Enter name field, enter the NetBIOS name or the fully qualified domain name of all servers that you want to add as failover cluster nodes, and then click Next.

6. On the Testing Options page, select Run all tests (recommended), and then click Next.

7. On the Confirmation page, click Next.

8. The Validating page displays the status of the running tests.

9. On the Summary page, do either of the following:

• If the results indicate that the tests completed successfully, and the configuration is suited for clustering, click Finish.

• If the results indicate that there were warnings or failures, select View Report to view the details and determine which issues need to be corrected. It is recommended to fix any warnings detected, and necessary to fix any failures detected.

Step 3. To create a failover cluster, do the following:

1. Open Server Manager.

2. In the Tools menu, select Failover Cluster Manager.

3. In the Failover Cluster Manager, on the Actions pane, select Create Cluster.

4. On the Before You Begin page, click Next.

5. On the Select Servers or a Cluster page, in the Enter name field, enter the NetBIOS name or the fully qualified domain name of all the servers that you plan to add as failover cluster nodes, and then click Next.

6. On the Access Point for Administering the Cluster page, in the Cluster Name field, enter a name and an IP address that you want to use to administer this cluster.

7. Click Next to create the failover cluster.

8. On the Summary page, check that the failover cluster was successfully created.

NOTE: This procedure must be performed only once on any server from those that you want to add as failover cluster nodes. To manage the failover cluster from any of the other nodes, simply connect to the cluster already created in the Failover Cluster Manager using the cluster name or IP address.