Deploying the Cluster

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Applies To: Windows Server 2012, Windows Storage Server 2008 R2

The Deploy the Cluster task area assists you in the process of creating and configuring a two-node storage failover cluster.

Note

You must use a domain account that is a member of the local Administrators group to perform all tasks.

To deploy a storage failover cluster, open the Cluster Validation and Setup Wizard and follow the instructions. Specifically, the wizard will run on the local (first) node and perform the following tasks:

  1. Perform validation testing to ensure that the servers and attached storage are configured properly to support failover clustering. All tests must pass for the wizard to complete.

  2. Assign dynamic IP addresses for the cluster nodes.

  3. Create a high availability file server and add at least one disk to it.

  4. Assign a dynamic IP address for the High Availability (HA) file server.

For more information about the Cluster Validation and Setup Wizard, see the Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Getting Started Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=198531).

Note

Validation testing may take several minutes to complete.

File shares are not created by the wizard. To create file shares that can be used in the failover cluster, use the Failover Cluster Manager snap-in.

Windows Server 2008 R2 RemoteApp can be used to make configuration changes to the remote (second) node of the cluster from the local (first) node administrative console. For example, RemoteApp can be used to open the Network Connections applet (Ncpa.cpl) to make network changes, or to open the Disk Management snap-in (Diskmgmt.msc) to make disk configuration changes.

Important

Some failover cluster deployment tasks may be specific to your network storage appliance. Consult the documentation that is provided by your storage appliance vendor for more information about performing these tasks.