Creating a Failover Cluster or Adding a Cluster Node

Before you can configure the cluster for the first time or add a server (node) to an existing failover cluster, you need to take the following preparatory steps:

• Install the Failover Clustering feature: You must install the Failover Clustering feature on any server that will become a server (node) in the cluster. For more information, see Install the Failover Clustering Feature.
  
  
• Connect networks and storage: You must connect the networks and storage that the nodes will use. For details, see:
  
  
  • Prepare Hardware Before Validating a Failover Cluster
    
    
  • Understanding Requirements for Failover Clusters.
    
    
• Validate the hardware configuration: We strongly recommend that you validate your hardware configuration (servers, network, and storage) before creating a cluster or adding a node to a cluster. To validate, you run a wizard. For more information, see Validate a New or Existing Failover Cluster.
  
  

  Important
  Microsoft supports a failover cluster solution only if the complete configuration (servers, network, and storage) can pass all tests in the Validate a Configuration Wizard. In addition, all hardware components in the solution must be marked as "Certified for Windows Server 2008 R2."

To see the preceding steps in the context of a checklist, see Checklist: Create a Failover Cluster.

The following topics describe how to create a failover cluster or add a server (node) to a failover cluster:

• Understanding Access Points (Names and IP Addresses) in a Failover Cluster
  
  
• Create a New Failover Cluster
  
  
• Add a Server to a Failover Cluster