In-Place Migration for a Two-Node Cluster

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

This topic provides an overview and steps that describe how to perform a migration when both the old and new clusters have one node when you migrate settings, in other words, an in-place migration for a two-node cluster. For information about a contrasting scenario, see Migration When Both Old and New Clusters Have Multiple Nodes When Settings are Migrated. For a list of other topics about migrating a failover cluster, including overview and requirements topics, see Migrating Cluster Settings from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 Step-by-Step Guide.

Overview of an in-place migration for a two-node cluster

For this migration scenario, there are three phases:

  • Phase I: Prepare to create a one-node failover cluster. For this phase, allow one existing server to keep running Windows Server 2003 and the Cluster service while you begin the migration process. Connect the other server to the storage, and make at least one LUN or disk accessible to it (a LUN or disk that is not accessible to other servers). Still on that server, install the failover cluster feature, and run all the tests that the Validate a Configuration Wizard will run. The wizard will recognize that this is a single node and limit the tests that it runs. Tests that require two nodes (for example, tests that compare the nodes or that simulate failover) will not run.

    Note that the tests that you run at this stage do not provide complete information about whether the storage will work in a cluster running Windows Server 2008. As described later in this section, you will run the Validate a Configuration Wizard later with all tests included.

    For details about this phase, see Steps for preparing to create a one-node failover cluster.

  • Phase II: Create a one-node failover cluster, determine how you will make existing data available to it, and migrate settings to the new cluster. Make the new server into a single-node cluster. If the new cluster is connected to old storage, plan how you will make the storage available to it, but leave the old cluster connected to the storage until you are ready to complete the transition. If the new cluster will use new storage, configure the storage so it is accessible only to the new cluster node, and copy the appropriate folders and data to it, until you have recreated everything except the drive letters and disk labels that exist on the old storage. For more information about migration to new storage, see Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Drive Letters and Labels and Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Mount Points, earlier in this guide.

    For details about this phase, see Steps for creating a one-node failover cluster and migrating settings to it.

  • Phase III: Complete the transition from the old cluster to the new. This phase will involve some downtime. Install Windows Server 2008 and the failover cluster feature on the server that was previously in the old cluster, connect the networks and storage, make the appropriate disks or LUNs accessible to the new cluster, and run the complete set of validation tests on the new cluster. Add the second node to the new cluster and install all necessary services, applications, or server roles on each node. Confirm that the settings for the migrated services or applications are correct. Finally, on the new cluster, bring the migrated services and applications online.

    For details about this phase, see Steps for completing the transition from the old cluster to the new.

Steps for preparing to create a one-node failover cluster

You must complete the following steps to prepare to create a one-node failover cluster.

Step 1: Install Windows Server 2008 on one server and connect it to networks and storage

Step 2: Install the failover cluster feature

Step 3: Run validation tests on the new server

Step 1: Install Windows Server 2008 on one server and connect it to networks and storage

Use the following instructions to install Windows Server 2008 on one server and connect it to networks and storage.

Note

Review Overview and Requirements for a Two-Node Failover Cluster, earlier in this guide, for details about hardware that you can use with Windows Server 2008.

For a failover cluster network, avoid having single points of failure. There are multiple ways of accomplishing this. You can connect your cluster nodes by multiple, distinct networks. Alternatively, you can connect your cluster nodes with one network that is constructed with teamed network adapters, redundant switches, redundant routers, or similar hardware that removes single points of failure. (If you use a network for iSCSI, you must create this network in addition to the other networks).

For the one-node failover cluster described in this procedure, when you connect the servers to the cluster storage, you must expose at least one volume (LUN). You can expose additional volumes as needed for thorough testing of your configuration. Do not expose the clustered volumes to servers that are not in the cluster.

Install Windows Server 2008 on one server and connect it to networks and storage

  1. Review the details about networks in Overview and Requirements for a Two-Node Failover Cluster, earlier in this guide.

  2. Evict one node from the server cluster running Windows Server 2003 and perform a clean installation of Windows Server 2008 on it.

Note

The failover cluster feature is not available in Windows Web Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 Standard.

  1. If your test configuration includes clients or a non-clustered domain controller, make sure that these computers can connect to the new server through at least one network.

  2. Connect the storage to the server running Windows Server 2008:

    • If you will use new storage for the new cluster, follow the manufacturer's instructions for physically connecting the server running Windows Server 2008 to the storage. Make as many disks or LUNs accessible to it as you think it will need.

    • If you will use the old storage for the new cluster, make at least one logical unit number (LUN) or disk accessible to the server running Windows Server 2008, and do not make that LUN or disk accessible to any other servers. (This LUN or disk is necessary for the witness disk, which is similar to, although not the same as, the quorum resource in Windows Server 2003.)

    You can use any of the following interfaces to expose disks or LUNs:

    • The interface provided by the manufacturer of the storage.

    • If you are using iSCSI, an appropriate iSCSI interface.

    • Microsoft Storage Manager for SANs (part of the operating system in Windows Server 2008). To use this interface, you need to contact the manufacturer of your storage for a Virtual Disk Service (VDS) provider package that is designed for your storage.

  3. If you have purchased software that controls the format or function of the disks in the storage, follow instructions from the vendor about how to use that software with Windows Server 2008.

  4. On the server running Windows Server 2008, click Start, click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, and then click Disk Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.) In Disk Management, confirm that the intended cluster disks are visible.

    Also, if you are using new storage, at this point, avoid using the same drive letters in the new storage as are currently used in the old storage. For other important details about working with drive letters and mount points in new storage, see Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Drive Letters and Labels and Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Mount Points, earlier in this guide.

  5. If you want to have a new storage volume larger than 2 terabytes, and you are using the Windows interface to control the format of the disk, convert that disk to the partition style called GUID partition table (GPT). To do this, using the server running Windows Server 2008, back up any data on the disk, delete all volumes on the disk and then, in Disk Management, right-click the disk (not a partition) and click Convert to GPT Disk.

    For volumes smaller than 2 terabytes, instead of using GPT, you can use the partition style called master boot record (MBR).

Important

You can use either MBR or GPT for a disk that is used by a failover cluster, but you cannot use a disk that you converted to dynamic by using Disk Management.
If you purchased software that controls the format or function of the disk, contact the vendor for instructions about how to use that software with Windows Server 2008.

  1. Still using the server running Windows Server 2008, check the format of any exposed volume or LUN. We recommend NTFS for the format (for a witness disk, you must use NTFS).

Step 2: Install the failover cluster feature

In this step, you install the failover cluster feature. The server on which you install the feature must be running Windows Server 2008.

To install the failover cluster feature on a server

  1. If you recently installed Windows Server 2008, the Initial Configuration Tasks interface is displayed, as shown in the following illustration.

    If this interface is displayed, under Customize This Server, click Add features. Then skip to step 3.

  2. If the Initial Configuration Tasks interface is not displayed and Server Manager is not running, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

    In Server Manager, under Features Summary, click Add Features.

  3. In the Add Features Wizard, click Failover Clustering, and then click Install.

  4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the installation of the feature. When the wizard finishes, close it.

Step 3: Run validation tests on the new server

In this step, you run some validation tests on the new server. You will need to run the Validate a Configuration Wizard again later, after adding the second node to the cluster running Windows Server 2008.

To run validation tests on the new server

  1. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

  2. Confirm that Failover Cluster Management is selected and then, in the center pane under Management, click Validate a Configuration.

    Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify the server, specify that you want to run all tests (in this case, all the tests that are possible with one node), and run the tests. Note that some tests require multiple nodes to run.

  3. The Summary page appears after the tests run. To view Help topics that will help you interpret the results, click More about cluster validation tests.

  4. While still on the Summary page, click View Report and read the test results.

    To view the results of the tests after you close the wizard, see

    SystemRoot\Cluster\Reports\Validation Report date and time.html

    where SystemRoot is the folder in which the operating system is installed (for example, C:\Windows).

  5. As necessary, make changes in the configuration and rerun the tests.

  6. To view Help topics about cluster validation after you close the wizard, in Failover Cluster Management, click Help, click Help Topics, click the Contents tab, expand the contents for the failover cluster Help, and click Validating a Failover Cluster Configuration.

Steps for creating a one-node failover cluster and migrating settings to it

You must complete the following steps to create a one-node failover cluster and migrate the settings of some types of resources to it from your server cluster running Windows Server 2003.

Step 4: Create the cluster

Step 5: Migrate settings from the old cluster to the new

Step 4: Create the cluster

To create a cluster, you run the Create Cluster wizard.

To run the Create Cluster wizard

  1. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

  2. Confirm that Failover Cluster Management is selected and then, in the center pane under Management, click Create a Cluster.

    Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify:

    • The server to include in the cluster.

    • The name of the cluster.

    • Any IP address information that is not automatically supplied by DHCP.

  3. After the wizard runs and the Summary page appears, to view a report of the tasks the wizard performed, click View Report.

Step 5: Migrate settings from the old cluster to the new

Use the following instructions to migrate some types of resource settings from your old one-node cluster to your new one-node cluster. After the Migrate a Cluster wizard runs, it leaves most migrated resources offline, so that you can perform additional steps before bringing them online.

To migrate data and settings from the old cluster to the new

  1. Begin the transition for the storage:

  2. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

  3. In the console tree, if the cluster that you created is not displayed, right-click Failover Cluster Management, click Manage a Cluster, and then select the cluster you want to configure.

  4. In the console tree, click the plus sign next to the failover cluster that you created to expand the items underneath it.

  5. If the clustered server is connected to a network that is not to be used for cluster communications (for example, a network intended only for iSCSI), then under Networks, right-click that network, click Properties, and then click Do not allow the cluster to use this network. Click OK.

  6. In the console tree, select the cluster.

  7. Under Configure, click Migrate Services and Applications.

  8. Read the first page of the Migrate a Cluster Wizard, and then click Next.

  9. Specify the name or IP Address of the cluster or cluster node from which you want to migrate resources, and then click Next.

  10. Click View Report. Read the report, which explains whether each resource is eligible for migration and describes additional steps to perform after running the wizard.

    If you are using new storage for the migrated cluster, and the report says that some of the disk resources you expected to migrate cannot be migrated, make sure that you are not using the same drive letters in the new storage as are used in the old storage. For more information, see Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Drive Letters and Labels, earlier in this guide.

  11. Follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the following:

    • Choose the resource group or groups whose settings you want to migrate.

      Some types of resource groups are eligible for migration and some are not. For more information, see Overview of the Process of Migrating from a Cluster Running Windows Server 2003, earlier in this guide.

      The following illustration shows the selection of a resource group called CLUS-FS1.

    • Specify whether the resource groups to be migrated will use new storage, or the same storage used in the old cluster. If the resource groups will use new storage, also specify the disk that each resource group should use after migration. For illustrations of this process, see Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Drive Letters and Labels, earlier in this guide.

  12. After the wizard runs and the Summary page appears, click View Report. This report contains important information about any additional steps that must still be performed before migration is complete. For example, you might need to install necessary services, applications, or server roles on the new cluster nodes.

  13. When the wizard completes, most migrated resources will be offline. Leave them offline at this stage.

Steps for completing the transition from the old cluster to the new

You must perform the following steps to complete the transition from the old cluster to the new.

Step 6: Install Windows Server 2008 on the remaining server cluster node and validate the configuration

Step 7: Add the second node to the failover cluster

Step 8: Bring migrated resource groups online and test failover

Step 6: Install Windows Server 2008 on the remaining server cluster node and validate the configuration

Use the following instructions to install Windows Server 2008 on the remaining server cluster node and to validate the configuration of the nodes, networks, and storage for a failover cluster.

To install Windows Server 2008 on the remaining server cluster node and validate the configuration

  1. Prepare for clients to experience downtime, because you will have to stop the remaining server cluster node in order to install Windows Server 2008 on it and add it to your one-node failover cluster (to create a two-node failover cluster).

  2. Stop the remaining server cluster node (the server still running Windows Server 2003) and perform a clean installation of Windows Server 2008 on it.

  3. On the newly-installed server, add the failover clustering feature in the same way that you added it to the other server.

  4. Connect the newly-installed server to the same networks and storage that the existing failover cluster node is connected to.

  5. Expose the appropriate disks or LUNs to the newly-installed server:

    • If the new cluster uses old storage, make the disks or LUNs that the new cluster will need accessible to the new cluster (and only the new cluster).

    • If the new cluster cluster uses new storage, expose all disks or LUNs to the newly-installed server that you previously exposed to the existing failover cluster node.

  6. On either server running Windows Server 2008, open the failover cluster snap-in. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

  7. Confirm that Failover Cluster Management is selected and then, in the center pane under Management, click Validate a Configuration.

    Follow the instructions in the wizard, but this time, be sure to specify both servers (not just the existing cluster name) and specify that you want to run all tests. Then, run the tests. Because there are now two nodes being tested, a more complete set of tests will run, which takes longer than when there was only one node.

  8. The Summary page appears after the tests run. To view Help topics that will help you interpret the results, click More about cluster validation tests.

  9. While still on the Summary page, click View Report and read the test results.

    To view the results of the tests after you close the wizard, see

    SystemRoot\Cluster\Reports\Validation Report date and time.html

    where SystemRoot is the folder in which the operating system is installed (for example, C:\Windows).

  10. As necessary, make changes in the configuration and rerun the tests.

    To view Help topics about cluster validation after you close the wizard, in Failover Cluster Management, click Help, click Help Topics, click the Contents tab, expand the contents for the failover cluster Help, and click Validating a Failover Cluster Configuration.

Step 7: Add the second node to the failover cluster

Use the following instructions to add the second node to the failover cluster and to install needed services, applications, or server roles on both nodes. If you are migrating one or more Network Name resources with Kerberos enabled, as displayed in Cluster Administrator in the Properties for the Network Name resource, you must also adjust permissions on the corresponding computer accounts (computer objects) in Active Directory (on a domain controller).

To add the second node to the failover cluster and install necessary services, applications, or server roles

  1. On the existing node in the one-node failover cluster, open the failover cluster snap-in. To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.)

  2. In the Failover Cluster Management snap-in, if the cluster you want to configure is not displayed, in the console tree, right-click Failover Cluster Management, click Manage a Cluster, and select or specify the cluster you want.

  3. Select the one-node cluster, and then in the Actions pane, click Add Node.

  4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify the server that you want to add to the cluster.

  5. After the wizard runs and the Summary page appears, if you want to view a report of the tasks the wizard performed, click View Report.

    To view the report after you close the wizard, see the following folder, where SystemRoot is the location of the operating system (for example, C:\Windows):

    SystemRoot**\Cluster\Reports\**

  6. On each of the new cluster nodes, install any needed services, applications, or server roles. For example, if you plan to migrate clustered DHCP to the new cluster, install the DHCP Server role from Initial Configuration Tasks or from Server Manager.

    If you are migrating a Generic Application, Generic Script, or Generic Service resource, you must also confirm that any associated application is compatible with Windows Server 2008, or any associated service exists in Windows Server 2008 and has the same name as in Windows Server 2003. Test the application or service (separately, not as part of a cluster) to confirm that it runs as expected.

  7. If you are migrating one or more Network Name resources with Kerberos enabled (as displayed in Cluster Administrator in the Properties for the Network Name resource), perform the following permissions change in Active Directory Users and Computers on a domain controller. Locate the computer accounts (computer objects) for any Network Name resources you will migrate that have Kerberos enabled. Make sure you know the correct name of the new cluster, and modify the accounts associated with the Network Name resources to assign Full Control over these accounts to the computer account of the failover cluster.

    The computer account for the failover cluster is created automatically when you run the Create Cluster wizard.

Step 8: Bring migrated resource groups online and test failover

At this point, you are ready to bring the migrated resource groups online and test failover.

To bring migrated resource groups online and test failover

  1. If the new cluster uses mount points (regardless of whether the storage is new or old), make each disk resource that uses a mount point dependent on the resource of the disk that hosts the mount point. For more information about mount points, see Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Mount Points, earlier in this guide.

  2. Take each resource group offline on the old cluster and bring the corresponding clustered service or application online on the new cluster.

  3. To perform a basic test of failover on the new cluster, expand Services and Applications, and then click the service or application for which you want to test failover.

  4. Under Actions (on the right), click Move this service or application to another node, and click the available choice of node. When prompted, confirm your choice.

    You can observe the status changes in the center pane of the snap-in as the clustered service or application is moved. If there are any problems with failover, review the following:

    • View events in Failover Cluster Management. To do this, in the console tree, right-click Cluster Events and then click Query. In the Cluster Events Filter dialog box, select the criteria for the events that you want to display, or to return to the default criteria, click the Reset button. Click OK. To sort events, click a heading, for example, Level or Date and Time.

    • Confirm that necessary services, applications, or server roles are installed on all nodes. Confirm that services or applications are compatible with Windows Server 2008 and run as expected

    • Review migrated resource settings and dependencies. If you are using new storage that includes disks using mount points, see Cluster Migrations Involving New Storage: Mount Points, earlier in this guide.

    • If you migrated one or more Network Name resources with Kerberos enabled, confirm that the following permissions change was made in Active Directory Users and Computers on a domain controller. In the computer accounts (computer objects) of your Kerberos-enabled Network Name resources, Full Control must be assigned to the computer account for the failover cluster.