Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

The Windows Server® 2008 High Availability Program provides best practices, systems, adapters and drivers, configurations, and support for a growing number of customer scenarios that require servers that are able to run with very little downtime. Some of these scenarios are:

  • Large-scale virtualization

  • Multiple single application instances workload consolidation

  • Multiple application/workload server consolidation

  • Business-critical applications/databases

  • Scale-up line of business applications/databases

  • Dynamic Hardware Partitioning

The Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program is an evolution of the Datacenter High Availability Program for Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition or Windows 2000 Datacenter Server and other qualified servers and has been modified to take into account changes in customer needs and available technologies. The sections below describe the components and hardware requirements of the Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program.

Components of the Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program

Server Editions

Only and the 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 Datacenter are available in the Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program.

Hardware

All servers in this program must have updated hardware requirements to meet leading reliability, availability, and serviceability standards. In addition, OEMs must offer a “minimum configuration” of a highly available server system and make that available on their Web sites. For a list of certified servers in the High Availability program, see the Windows Server Catalog at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=80785..

Support, Upgrades, and Maintenance

Proactive Support/Change Management Processes

OEMs of servers in this program will make these services available directly to customers.

Reactive Support

OEMs will provide end-to-end server support, with the ability to have a support engineer go onsite to resolve issues.

Upgrades of Existing Servers

Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition servers that are not upgraded can continue to receive support under the previous Windows Server Datacenter Program. Datacenter servers with Update Subscription Service or Software Assurance support can be upgraded to Windows Server 2008. For more information about upgrading other server systems, see Windows Server 2008 Supported Program.

Hardware Requirements of the Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program

The servers that are available in the Windows Server 2008 High Availability Program must be Windows Server 2008 Logo qualified as well as must meet the following hardware requirements:

  • x64 or Itanium only

  • 2 socket-capable

  • N+1 hot swap power supplies for system or blade chassis

  • Hot swap fans for system or blade chassis

  • Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) hard disks are not allowed.

  • Any redundant array of independent disks (RAID) technology acceptable

  • Multipath I/O (MPIO) or Redundant Fabric required

  • Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) or Redundant Fabric required

  • Single Device Data Correction (SDDC), Double Device Data Correction (DDDC), Hot Spare, RAID-1 or RAID-5 memory, or other technology that exceeds standard Error Correcting Code capabilities of "single bit correct, double bit detect" required