On a node in the cluster, open a Command Prompt window.
Determine whether to change the heartbeat settings, for nodes on a common subnet, nodes communicating across subnets, or both. For background information about heartbeat settings, see the link at the beginning of this topic.
The default value is that (regardless of subnet configuration) a heartbeat signal is sent once every second (1000 milliseconds) and when a node misses a series of 5 heartbeats, another node will initiate failover. The range for heartbeat frequency is once every 250-2000 milliseconds on a common subnet, and 250-4000 milliseconds across subnets. The range for missed heartbeats is from 3 through 10.
To change the heartbeat settings, run one or more of the following commands. Note that the first two commands affect nodes on a common subnet and the second two commands affect communication across subnets:
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> /prop SameSubnetDelay=<value>
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> /prop SameSubnetThreshold=<value>
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> /prop CrossSubnetDelay=<value>
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> /prop CrossSubnetThreshold=<value>
To confirm that the heartbeat settings are set as intended, run the following command:
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> /prop
View the network names of resources currently configured on the cluster by running the following command:
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> res
Determine which IP addresses should be registered in DNS for your cluster: either all IP addresses on which a network name resource depends, or only the IP address that successfully comes online (that is, the IP address on the subnet of the node that currently owns that network name resource). For background information about this setting, see the link at the beginning of this topic.
The default is to register only the IP address that successfully comes online.
Choose and run only one of the following commands, substituting the name of the resource for <NetworkNameResource>:
- To cause all IP addresses on which a network name resource depends to be registered, run the following command:
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> res <NetworkNameResource> /priv RegisterAllProvidersIP=1
- To cause only the IP address that successfully comes online to be registered, run the following command:
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> res <NetworkNameResource> /priv RegisterAllProvidersIP=0
Determine the value to use for the DNS setting called Time to Live (TTL). As an example, the value recommended for Exchange Server 2007 is five minutes, which equals 300 seconds. If you do not adjust the TTL value, it defaults to 20 minutes (1200 seconds). For background information about TTL, see the link at the beginning of this topic.
To change the TTL setting, run the following command:
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> res <NetworkNameResource> /priv HostRecordTTL=<TimeInSeconds>
where <NetworkNameResource> is the name of the clustered resource that you want to set the TTL value for, and <TimeInSeconds> is the value you want to set for TTL.
To confirm that all the DNS settings are set as intended for a given network name resource, run the following command:
cluster /cluster:<ClusterName> res <NetworkNameResource> /priv
Take the clustered service or application offline and bring it back online, using the method you are most familiar with. For example, to use the Failover Cluster Management snap-in, under Services and Applications, right-click the service or application and click Take this service or application offline, then right-click again and click Bring this service or application online.