Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Failover Cluster Installation on VMware Workstation
A step by step guide.
This guide will help you step up Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition failover cluster with two nodes (Active/Passive) using VMware Workstaion.
This setup will later be used to install SQL Server 2005 & SQL Server 2008 failover cluster instances.
Please note the prerequisites before continuing with steps below.
Please note the prerequisites before continuing with steps below.
I have included screen shots and videos where ever possible to help you get a good understanding of the installation process.
In this installation guide I have setup a Domain Controller and two node Windows Server 2003 cluster.
Steps:
1. Install VMware Workstation 7 and configure a virtual Machine with the following attributes for setting up Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition with the role of Domain Controller and DNS Server (Computer Name: DC)
- RAM: 1 GB
- HDD 0:1 SCSI, 4 GB
- CDROM
- NIC 1: Bridged
2. Power on VM and install Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition.
3. Post OS Installation Steps on Computer Name: DC
- Assign Static IP address on DC: 192.168.1.10
- Add 'Domain Controller' & 'DNS' role to the server
4. Create a second virtual machine with the following attributes to setup first Windows Server 2003 cluster node (Computer Name: WIN2K3001)
- RAM: 2 GB
- HDD 0:1 SCSI, 4 GB
- CDROM
- NIC 1: Host Only
- NIC 2: Bridged
6. Post OS Installation Steps on Computer Name: WIN2K3001
- Rename 'Host Only' NIC adapter as “Heartbeat”.
- Unbind “Client for Microsoft Networks” and “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks” from "Heartbeat".
- Disable “NetBIOS over TCP/IP”.
- Rename Bridged NIC adapter as “Public”.
- Assign static IP to “Hearbeat” and “Public”, use different class IP for both connections.
Eg: WIN2K3001: Heartbeat IP: 10.0.0.1 & Public IP: 192.168.1.11
7. Configure Network - Advance Settings:
Top in the list should be your Public team (if any). Followed by first public NIC based on teamed priority in NIC.Teaming software and so forth. Bottom will be your private interface in preference order in cluster configuration. (File and printer sharing enabled)
Provider Order: Set the order to Microsoft Windows Network top followed by the terminal service then web client
8. Add WIN2K3001 to domain & reboot.
8. Add WIN2K3001 to domain & reboot.
9. Create a third virtual machine with the following attributes to setup second Windows Server 2003 cluster node (Computer Name: WIN2K3002)
11. Post OS Installation Steps on Computer Name: WIN2K3002
- RAM: 2 GB
- HDD 0:1 SCSI, 4 GB
- CDROM
- NIC 1: Host Only
- NIC 2: Bridged
11. Post OS Installation Steps on Computer Name: WIN2K3002
- Rename 'Host Only' NIC adapter as “Heartbeat”.
- Unbind “Client for Microsoft Networks” and “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks” from "Heartbeat".
- Disable “NetBIOS over TCP/IP”.
- Rename Bridged NIC adapter as “Public”.
- Assign static IP to “Hearbeat” and “Public”, use different class IP for both connections.
Eg: WIN2K3002: Heartbeat IP: 10.0.0.2 & Public IP: 192.168.1.12
12. Add WIN2K3002 to the domain & reboot.
13. Create AD Object - for Cluster Service account on the Domain Controller
Eg: “ClusterServiceAcc”
This account will be used by the Windows Cluster Service.
14: Assign “ClusterServiceAcc” with LOCAL ADMIN privilege on WIN2K3001.
15. Also assign “ClusterServiceAcc” with LOCAL ADMIN privilege on WIN2K3002
16. Power off WIN2K3001 and WIN2K3002.
17. Configure WIN2K3001, add two SCSI HDD for Cluster 'Quorum' and 'MSDTC'.
- HDD 1:0 SCSI, 0.5 GB - Pre-allocated for Quorum (Q:)
- HDD 2:0 SCSI, 0.5 GB - Pre-allocated for MSDTC (M:)
Important: Set each drive on a different SCSI controller (HDD Virtual Device Node setting in VMware)
18: Edit WIN2K3001's Virtual Machine Configuration file (VMX) and add the following lines of code:
18: Edit WIN2K3001's Virtual Machine Configuration file (VMX) and add the following lines of code:
disk.locking = "false"
diskLib.dataCacheMaxSize = "0"
19. Power on WIN2K3001. Go to "Computer Management" and Initiate the disks created.
For the cluster to work, disks have to be “Basic”. Make sure to assign a drive letter, preferably Q: for Quorum and M: for MSDTC
For the cluster to work, disks have to be “Basic”. Make sure to assign a drive letter, preferably Q: for Quorum and M: for MSDTC
20. Power Off WIN2K3001
21. Configure WIN2K3002 and add the earlier created – Quorum and MSDTC disk.
22: Edit WIN2K3002's Virtual Machine Configuration file (VMX) and add the following lines of code:
23. Power on WIN2K3002. Go to "Computer Management" and Initiate the disks created, assign drive letter Q: & M: respectively.
22: Edit WIN2K3002's Virtual Machine Configuration file (VMX) and add the following lines of code:
disk.locking = "false"
diskLib.dataCacheMaxSize = "0"
23. Power on WIN2K3002. Go to "Computer Management" and Initiate the disks created, assign drive letter Q: & M: respectively.
24. Restart WIN2K3001 and WIN2K3002.
25. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Cluster Setup (MSCS):
WIN2K3001: First Node - Install and configure cluster service
- Click Start menu ? All Programs ? Administrative Tools ? Cluster Administrator.
- Select File ? Open
- Select Create a new cluster from the drop down list.
- Click OK.
- Click Next.
- Select the Domain Name. Eg: "Lab.ca"
- Enter the Cluster Name for this cluster: Eg: "LabWIN2K3CL1"
- Click Next.
- Enter Name of the computer name that will be the first node on the cluster. Eg: "WIN2K3001"
- Click Next.
- Click Next.
- Click Next.
- Enter the IP address for this cluster: 192.168.1.13
- Click Next.
- Enter User Name: Enter the service account used for the MSCS service. Eg: "ClusterServiceAcc"
- Password: ****
- Click Next.
- NOTE: Cluster Service Account has to be a member of the local Administrators group on each node of the cluster.
- Click Quorum.
- Select the drive to be used for the shared Quorum, normally Drive Q.
- Click OK.
- Click Next.
- Click Next.
- Click Finish.
Following video illustrates MSCS setup on node 1: WIN2K3001 and adding node 2: WIN2K3002 to the cluster:
26: Add the other Node: WIN2K3002 to the cluster.
- In Cluster Administrator, right click and add node to the cluster.
- Click Next.
- Enter the computer name: WIN2K3002
- Click Add.
- Click Next.
- Click Next.
- Enter the password for the MSCS service account.
- Click Next.
- Click Next.
- Click Next.
- Repeat for each node of the cluster.
Following video illustrates steps to set the Cluster Network Priority for "Heartbeat" and "Public" NIC:
28. Cluster Fail over test
And.... the moment of truth.... Test lateral fail over / manual fail over to test MSCS configuration
Following video illustrates the steps:
Congratulations! MSCS setup is complete.