Configure a Failover Cluster using Server 2008 R2

Scenario

You have already installed and configured an iSCSI SAN for your shared storage, and now you want to configure a Failover Cluster to provide increased availability to services like Exchange, SQL Server and virtualisation.

Two servers called node01 and node02 have already been joined to the domain, each with multiple Network Interface Cards (NICs).

Microsoft’s iSCSI Initiator was used to connect the volumes (LUNs) on the iSCSI SAN. One disk for Data, the other for the Witness disk.

Solution

  1. Navigate to Server Manager > Features > Add Features on node01. Tick Failover Clustering:
  2. Click Install:
  3.  Click Close:
  4. Repeat this process on node02.
  5. Back on node01, navigate to Server Manager > Features > Failover Cluster Manager, then click Validate Configuration:
  6.  Read the details on the wizard, then click Next:
  7.  Browse and add node01 and node02, click Next:
  8. Select Run all tests, click Next:
  9.  Click Next:
  10.  After all tests finish, a report will be produced:
  11. If you click the View Report button, a detailed report will open in the browser. You can quickly scroll through and find warnings highlighted in yellow.
    In my case, there were warnings as both NICs are on the same subnet in my lab. I’m over it.
  12. Navigate to Server Manager > Features > Failover Cluster Manager, click Create a Cluster:
  13. Read the details on the wizard, then click Next:
  14. Browse and add node01 and node02, click Next:
  15. Enter a Cluster Name and IP Address for the Cluster:
  16.  Review the settings and click Next to create the Cluster:
  17.  Once the wizard has completed, you can view the report. Click Finish:
  18. You should now have a Failover Cluster, ready to install Services and Applications.